What is Overland Expedition?
The '''Overland Expedition''', also called the '''Overland Relief Expedition''' or '''Point Barrow-Overland Relief Expedition''', was a long trip in [[1897]]–[[1898|8]], by three officers of the [[United States Coast Guard]] (then named the ''U.S. Revenue Cutter Service''), with the help of two [[wikt:civilian|civilians]], using [[sled dog]]s and [[reindeer]] to rescue more than 250 [[whaler]]s trapped in the [[Arctic Ocean]] by [[ice]] around their [[ship]]s. The rescue was ordered by then-[[President (United States)|U.S. President]] [[William McKinley]]. McKinley later talked about the rescue in a letter dated [[January 17]], [[1899]] to the [[United States Congress]], in which he asked Congress to award the officers [[Congressional Gold Medal]]s, and to pay the civilians for their help: <blockquote> It will be remembered that in the month of October, 1897, reports were received here of the probable loss of the whaling fleet in the Arctic regions, and of the likelihood that nearly 300 men, composing the officers and crews of the fleet, would perish from hunger unless succor [an old word for help] could reach them early in the spring. ...<br> The overland expedition was formed, and consisted of First Lieut. David H. Jarvis, Revenue-Cutter Service, commanding; Second Lieut. Ellsworth P. Bertholf, Revenue-Cutter Service, and Dr. Samuel J. Call, surgeon of the ''Bear'', all volunteers. ...<br> They were materially aided by Mr. W.T. Lopp, agent of the American Missionary Society at Cape Prince of Wales, and Artisarlook, a native of that region, both of whom, at great personal sacrifice, left their families and accompanied the reindeer herd to Point Barrow. The overland expedition, after a difficult and hazardous journey of nearly 2,000 miles through the storms and bitter cold of an Arctic winter, reached Point Barrow with the herd on the 29th of March, 1898, three months and twelve days from their landing from the ''Bear'' at Cape Vancouver, Alaskan coast of Bering Sea. They arrived none too soon. ... [due to] bad