248 SIEGE OF THE SOUTH POLE 
expedition was involved in trouble before ever it set out, 
trouble of every kind dogged its track in tropical, tem- 
perate and polar waters and the troubles did not end 
when the storm-tossed ships came home on June io, 
1842. The gold medal of the Royal Geographical So- 
ciety, the highest distinction in the geographical world, 
was conferred upon Wilkes a few years later, sufficient 
evidence of the esteem in which his geographical results 
were held in Europe. It cannot be said that his own 
countrymen received him with gratitude or unqualified 
approval, for shortly after his return he was brought 
before a court-martial on the distinct and separate charges 
preferred by his own officers of oppression, injustice to 
his men, illegal and severe punishment of savages, false- 
hood and scandalous conduct, the last charge including 
such mildly “ scandalous ” acts as wearing the uniform 
of a captain while still technically a lieutenant! The 
trial lasted six weeks, and reference has already been 
made to the charge of falsely stating that land had been 
discovered on January 19, 1840, the only one in any way 
affecting the Antarctic cruise. The result of the trial 
was acquittal, and Wilkes rose to a very high place in the 
United States Navy. He was a fine fighting officer and 
did good service for the North in the Civil War. One 
of his notable exploits brought the United Kingdom and 
the United States nearer war than they have ever been 
since 1815. This was the stoppage of the British mail- 
steamer Trent on the high seas on November 8, 1861, 
and the arrest of two envoys from the Confederate 
States who were proceeding to Europe. He retired on 
account of age in 1864, and was appointed Rear-Admiral 
in 1866; he lived until February, 1877, when he died in 
Washington in his eightieth year. 
