Editing USS Polaris (1871) (section)

== Furthest North ==
In late 1870, she was selected for service with the [[Hall scientific expedition]], led by [[Charles Francis Hall]], and was sent to the [[Washington Navy Yard]] for refitting. Renamed USS ''Polaris'' in early-1871, she arrived at the [[New York Navy Yard]] on June&nbsp;9 to complete loading of stores and provisions for the expedition. She set sail in July&nbsp;1871.

Aiming for the [[North Pole]], she reached [[82nd parallel north|82°&nbsp;29′N latitude]], then the [[Furthest North|furthest point north]] reached by a vessel. ''Polaris'' was caught in the ice on the homeward voyage in October&nbsp;1872, and carried for some distance before being crushed. Her crew was subsequently rescued, including a party of 18 people led by [[William F. C. Nindemann]], who had debarked to land provisions after the hull of the ''Polaris'' had begun to leak, only to have the section of the ice floe they were on break away from the section holding the ''Polaris''.

The lost party floated for 196 days and were subsequently rescued separately from the vessel.