The New York herald., 1871-08-13
THE COREA.
An Officers Account of the Recon.
nOissance in Force.
Opening of HOStilitieS Calamity Met by
Our Blue Jackets.
Terrific Fire of the Corean
Batteries.
Poor Powder and Poor Guns the Salvation
Of Our Plotilla.
The COreans to he Cleaned
Out.

We have received from an ofioer OF the United
States squadron now operating against the Coreans
very Interesting letter. dated Salu River Corea,
June s. 1871 IN which given many particulars re-
garding the first serious AFFAIR with that people
Accompanying the letter a sSetcn OF the locality,
which we give herewith. 1t shows plainly what an
admirable position it Is defend. and how 1t could,
II fortified and armed in modern STYLE be rendered
mpregnable almost ana certainly able TO prevent
the passage OF such squadron as the United States
hes now in those waters Tie subsequent opera
lions OF Admiral Rodgers, the only account OF which
is contained in his oncial oespatch must have been
against the forts that are shown upon the map.
These are the same, doubtless, which were carried
Dy storm with such serious loss to the Coreans.
CoREAN HELL GATE.
The letter OF this o1cer tells the story OF the at
tack In most enthusiastic way, and he has ex-
plained the position OF the attacking ships and
launches in manner that renders the whole AFFAIR
easily understood. In addition to the tortuous
nature OF the river and its narrow channel, the
Coreans have another thing in their favor. the
strength OF the current, which runs with greater
velocity than at Hell Gate. 1t was owing to this
that the MonOcacy got ashore almost within pistol
shot the batteries.
THE FIRST SHOT.
The letter, in speaking OF the attack says" cap
tain Blake with the four steam launches, the PaiOs
and the Monocacy, left about nOOn ana up the river
they went. About two O'Clock bang went gun
from one OF the forts, and the old Colorado was
alive, jus, though you would stir up a nest OF
bees with stick II. rushed up TO The captain ask
Ing permission to take his launch and up: but the
Admiral would not permit It. What vexed lot they
were r., NJ, S. and B. went up In our two steam.
ers, and they were envied, can tel you.
''The firing lasted altogether about two hours, of
nd on A rfern alOft reDOrfed
that the forts were iriDg on the boats. We could
see only one fort from the poop deck.
THE ENEMY's POSITION.
''rne vessels all came down about halr-past four
O'Clock, and then we got the news. They had goue
up about miles all right, the launches leading,
followed by the Paos and then the Monocacy. They
saw the left bank o creneated wall, built all
along the shore for mites, and here and there fort
which did not appearto be occupied. Looking ahead
they on hill hundreds Of Gags. and the hill
covered with soldiers, dressed in yellow. They
also fort; but as they meant to be peaceabe they
kept on. although making every preparation for the
fun likely TO come Of. When they were about two
miles from the point the Bencias launch got rope
foul OF her screw and dropped astem of all in
clearing H. the Others keeping Oh and the launches
round the point first They ran pretty wel
over 10 the lett shore, and when within about one
hundred yards two tiers OF batteries were I'M
mdsheu ana blaIel away iuto tneIu GU KNOW
that Nj. T. don't swear and he said ii was
'.just hot' then for few minutes
HOW OUR SHIPS ACTED.
'Old h. came round that point nylng and
lei drive all The guns the Palos them; the
consequence being that they kicked hard as 10
lear the bolts out OF the side OF the ship ana render
them useless during the remainder or The hight. The
Monocacy cane up and she pelted her pills away;
but The current running egnt TO ten knots slapped
ber rock causing her TO leak badly though
she Kept sending her compliments in. The
launches went most calamity, pegging away with
their 'bow-wows' all the time. The poor
BenIcias launch caught IL, too She. after
clearing her screw, started ahead full int,
running the gauntlet OF this crenelsted wall when
the Coreans thick and firing at her all the way
up TO the bend and wnen che rounded the first point
she caught II from the tiers OF batteries alone the
others having gone round, and when there knocking
away at The back door. She got round all right
though and she was the only one that had anybody
wounded: TWO OF her men were hurt but no. serl-
ousiy and a couple OF shot struck her. but did
penetrate.
WHAT SAVED OUR BOATS
''The Coreans had poor powder and poor guns or
hey would have slaughtered our boats They have
only gngalls, and few long eighteens and twenty
tours that are j don't know how old. asked :.
what 10 was like, and he said II was just he'll for
Few minutes on both sides The water all round
them was alive with balls, ana they made the
roreans smell hell from their howItZers all OF them
peggiug away together. think that the Coreans
mean hght Tney are building breastworks or
something In rear, though they mean; TO stop
our going out which one or two OF our nine or
slevep-inch shells would show them was not TO be
done. We are going up again In eight or ten days
10 clear them out, If we don't get any comnunica-
ton from the Corean government. when shall
nave very lively time, no doubt"
OUR TOTAL STRENGTH.
Beyond all doubt the threat that the Coreans were
TO be "cleaned outn IN the event or no answer being
received from their authorities has been carried out
In Its fullest sense. The aconthe only account Of
which is IN Admiral Rodgers despatch to the Navy
Department-that occurred In the latter part OF
June. whereby the Coreans suffered such heavy loss
was the cleaning out process The Admiral was
probably able 70 land about seven hundred and nty
men (5eamen and marines) from his squadron, and
tins handful OF nen, by Of superior discipline
superior pluck and determination, combined win
approved arms and covered by the fire Of the neet
was enabled TO do wonders against the hordes OF
Coreans who posscsseu but little else than numbers
to renaer them formidable.
BADLY WHIPPED
They we're whipped-bady wbipped--they lost
hundreds OF men. Their forts. guns and
munitions Of war were captured and the coun-
try about the scene OF action was occupied by
our forces and the Stars and Stripes for the FIRST
time new over that far eastern land. They were
taught 70 feel the power OF the United states. 1hey
were given TO understand that our citizens
could not be molesied and malfreated with
mpunlty, and they were also taught the lesson that
any insult whatever would be resented. The muir
der OF the crew OF the schooner General Sherman
was avenged, ana thus the principal object OF the
visit OF the neet was accomplished.
WHAT NEXT
We are naturally anxious TO know the next step
IN the drama. II Is plain that cannot continue TO
occupy the small territory we have conquered, even
II we desired 10 do so. And II would be worse than
folly 10 attempt 10 force our way inland with the
anal force that we have 10 operate with II would