ard ' s ▁companion ▁on ▁many ▁exc urs ions , ▁including ▁their ▁record ▁breaking ▁push ▁north ▁to ▁ 8 3 ° 2 3   ' 3 0 ". ▁Bra in ard ▁wrote : ▁ ▁Short ly ▁before ▁rescue , ▁in ▁the ▁spring ▁of ▁ 1 8 8 4 , ▁free zing , ▁star ving , ▁and ▁suffering ▁from ▁sc ur vy , ▁he ▁wrote : ▁" O ur ▁own ▁condition ▁is ▁so ▁w retch ed , ▁so ▁pal p ably ▁miser able , ▁that ▁death ▁would ▁be ▁wel com ed ▁rather ▁than ▁fe ared   ..." ▁Bra in ard ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁only ▁six ▁surv iv ors ▁res cu ed ▁by ▁R ear ▁Admir al ▁Win field ▁Scott ▁Sch ley ▁on ▁June ▁ 2 2 . ▁On ▁that ▁day , ▁he ▁was ▁reported ly ▁too ▁weak ▁to ▁hold ▁his ▁p enc il ▁to ▁make ▁a ▁note ▁in ▁his ▁log . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁Back ▁Grant ▁by ▁the ▁Royal ▁Ge ographical ▁Society ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 5 . ▁ ▁Later ▁military ▁career ▁▁ ▁Bra in ard ▁was ▁commission ed ▁second ▁lieutenant ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 nd ▁Caval ry ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 6 ▁" as ▁recognition ▁of ▁the ▁gall ant ▁and ▁mer itor ious ▁services ▁rendered ▁by ▁him ▁in ▁the ▁Ar ctic ▁expedition ▁of ▁ 1 8 8 1 – 1 8 8 4 ." ▁He ▁then ▁had ▁the ▁distinction ▁of ▁being ▁the ▁only ▁living ▁( active ▁or ▁retired ) ▁officer ▁in ▁the ▁US ▁Army ▁commission ed ▁for ▁specific ▁services