The publication of the 1867 narrative The Open Polar Sea detailed a bold voyage toward the North Pole aboard the schooner United States, documenting the findings of a man whose career spanned polar geography, military medicine, and state politics. Isaac Israel Hayes navigated the shift from nineteenth-century wilderness research to the complex administrative demands of post-Civil War American governance.
Early Training and Initial Arctic Research
Born in Chester County, Pennsylvania, in 1832, Hayes was educated at the Westtown School before attending the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. In 1853, he joined the Second Grinnell Expedition as a ship's surgeon. During this time, he explored Ellesmere Island, documenting 200 miles of coastline. Following an arduous retreat that resulted in the amputation of three of his toes, he returned to the United States to lecture on Arctic exploration.
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Hayes secured $30,000 in funding to lead his own polar expedition, departing in 1860. Attempting to reach the North Pole, he traveled through Baffin Bay and Smith Sound with a party that included local hunters. While he reported reaching 81°35' north, subsequent analysis by later researchers determined that errors in his measurements placed his actual farthest point near Cape Collinson, just north of the 80th parallel.
Military Medical Service
Upon his return to the United States, Hayes entered the Union Army during the American Civil War. In 1862, he was appointed commanding officer of the Satterlee General Hospital in Philadelphia. The facility treated approximately 50,000 patients under his supervision, including a surge of wounded following the Battle of Gettysburg. Despite the large patient volume, the hospital maintained a low mortality rate of 260 deaths throughout its operation.
Political Career and Later Years
Hayes shifted to politics after the war, representing New York City in the New York State Assembly from 1876 until his death in 1881. As an anti-Tammany Hall Republican, he focused on public infrastructure and social welfare, including advocating for funding for the Hudson River Tunnel and proposing constitutional amendments to abolish canal tolls. He was buried at the Oakland Friends Cemetery following his death at age 49.
Fast facts
- Born: 1832, Chester County
- Died: 1881, New York City
- Education: Westtown School, Perelman School of Medicine
- Major Award: Patron’s Medal (1867)
- Positions: Surgeon, New York State Assembly member
- Notable Publication: The Open Polar Sea (1867)
- Burial site: Oakland Friends Cemetery
Questions readers ask
What medical role did Hayes hold during the American Civil War?
He served as the commanding officer of the Satterlee General Hospital in Philadelphia.
Did Hayes reach the North Pole?
No. Although he claimed to reach 81°35' north, later research suggests he overestimated his progress by more than 100 miles.
Achievements
- Patron’s Medal
- Recorded as explorer, politician and physician