At college he was prominent in athletics, was a member of the Yale track and golf teams, and made a reputation as a wrestler.

After his graduation he spent a year as a special apprentice in the machine shops of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company at Altoona, Pa.
To Captain Bartlett I left the selection of his officers and men, with the single exception of the chief engineer.
The personnel of the expedition, as finally completed when the _Roosevelt_ left Sydney on the 17th of July, 1908, included twenty-two men, as follows: Robert E.Peary, commanding expedition; Robert A.
Bartlett, master of the _Roosevelt_; George A.Wardwell, chief engineer; Dr.J.W.Goodsell, surgeon; Prof.Ross G.Marvin, assistant; Donald B.
MacMillan, assistant; George Borup, assistant; Matthew A.Henson, assistant; Thomas Gushue, mate; John Murphy, boatswain; Banks Scott, second engineer; Charles Percy, steward; William Pritchard, cabin boy; John Connors, John Coady, John Barnes, Denis Murphy, George Percy, seamen; James Bently, Patrick Joyce, Patrick Skeans, John Wiseman, firemen.
The supplies for the expedition were abundant in quantity, but not numerous in variety.

Years of experience had given me the knowledge of exactly what I wanted and how much of it.

The absolutely essential supplies for a serious arctic expedition are few, but they should be of the best quality.

Luxuries have no place in arctic work.
Supplies for an arctic expedition naturally divide themselves into two classes: those for the sledge work in the field; those for the ship, going and returning, and in winter quarters.