William H. (William Henry) Gilder

Born in Philadelphia on August 16, 1838, he went on to build a remarkably varied career as a soldier, journalist, explorer, and author. During the American Civil War he served in New York regiments, rose to the rank of captain with a brevet as major, and also worked as a war correspondent for Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper.

After the war, he moved into newspaper work and later became known for expedition reporting. He served as managing editor of the Newark Register and then joined major Arctic ventures, including Frederick Schwatka’s search for records of Sir John Franklin. He also traveled across Siberia after the loss of the Rodgers expedition vessel, carrying news of the disaster and taking part in the wider search connected with George W. De Long.

His best-known books include Schwatka's Search (1881) and Ice-Pack and Tundra (1883), both drawn from direct experience in the Arctic. He also reported from other conflict zones abroad, including the French-Annamese fighting and the Spanish earthquake region, bringing a reporter’s eye to places most readers would never see. He died on February 5, 1900.