Charles Wilkes was an American naval officer, ship's captain, and explorer. He led the United States Exploring Expedition (1838–1842).
Charles Wilkes
Lieutenant Charles Wilkes, Exploring Expedition 1838–1842
USS Vincennes in Disappointment Bay, Antarctica, during the Wilkes Expedition.
Capt. Charles Wilkes in The Champions of the Union, lithograph by Currier & Ives, 1861
United States Exploring Expedition
The United States Exploring Expedition of 1838–1842 was an exploring and surveying expedition of the Pacific Ocean and surrounding lands conducted by the United States. The original appointed commanding officer was Commodore Thomas ap Catesby Jones. Funding for the original expedition was requested by President John Quincy Adams in 1828; however, Congress would not implement funding until eight years later. In May 1836, the oceanic exploration voyage was finally authorized by Congress and created by President Andrew Jackson.
The USS Vincennes at Disappointment Bay in early 1840
Andes near Alparmarca, Peru: Sketched from an Elevation of 16,000 Feet, an illustration by Alfred Agate
The Peacock after hitting the bar of the Columbia River near Cape Disappointment in Washington state