The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1871-07-17
OUR WAR WITH THE COREANS.
Details Of the Recent Attack on
Them by the U. s. Squadron.
SAN FR,xcRco, July Il

guns IRON Ashuelnt
The fleet arrived at Jerome Gulf May
20, and spent ten days surveying the
channels between the various islands, II.
nally coming 10 anchor at the point de-
signated in the French charts, lie Belize,
for three days. The surveying party was
away in that time, and mel SOME natives,
who sent oil communication asking
where we were from and hoping that we
were well On the Monday Of this week
a number Of COrcans Of the third and
fifth ranks, came aboard. Gov Lows
interpreter received them, az they were
not Of rank To bc received by the Ad.
miral nr Minister They were shown
about the Colorado, distinctly told thRt
we meant 10 be u surveying party up the
river and thai Our mission was peaceful,
and that We should not attack or
mOlest unless they first assaulted us. They
expressed themselves ton COmmittaD glad
to know that our mission was peaceful,
and rs believed they were satisfied.
Thursday the MOnOCacy and PalOs with
iOnr steam launches two from the Colorado
and the Others from the Alaska and lIeneCla
lelt the ships about 1890 4. VI. 10 go up,
and passed kOnghOa, an island nj the
month Ol the river Salcc. The party
from MOuacOcy Capt. McUrea, NUM-.
her TO from Palos under Col. Rockwell
30 The lamchcrS were manned with
/ men each, Capt, Homer G. Blake was
on the PalOs. Accompanying the GXpe.
diliOn.wcre Mr.. COwlc, Private Secretary
10 Minister Low. Both parties were
armed with Cullas4es, pistols, and Rem.
ingtOn rifles The BcniCa launch car.
rird II ponder in her bow and the
Others were provided with 19 Founders,
all having good supply Of shell, canister
md shrapncl. Awaiting Ol the flood
tide, the launchcrs went ahead abreast np
kongh0a river, sounding and as they
proceeded, the Palos and MOnOcacy fol.
lowing.at convenient distance. The boats,
which were lnmolested for sometime,
prosecuted their work regularly on the
river, which IL here about mile wide.
The day was bright and pleasant, and all
went well. All approached the narrow por.
ton of the river, about ten miles from the
Colorado. Here great turn out ofwhlte
and cOlOrcd COreans was noticed on O
bluff Of the lett bank, with flags flying,
presenting quite martial array. A near.
or view indicated their number TO be
about two thousand men clothed in
white coats, not unlike the present Euro.
pean overcOAts, white pajamas tied at the
ankle, with white socks and light summer
shoes, sucl,as the Chinese wear. There
were Two red stone forts visible, one on
each bank, apparently armed with up.
wards Of sixty'nino lS.poundcrs, and
guarding the narrow passage or bend Of
the river The one on the right
bank was the smaller of the two, and was
moi noticed at all during the fight except
by shot or two, TO find Il any one was
stirring therein, but the main fort on the
leit bank rising neara hundred feet from
the waters edge, was evidently the stand.
point Of the COreans, and from which they
expected 10 intimidAte or drive away
in dismay. The foreign launches kept
on at their business without needing
the spectacle presented on the bank. The
BeneCia launch had meanwhile dropped |
astern owing 10 lead line louling her
screw, so that when the party came oppo.
site the fort she was neerly two miles of. |
Mr.. Cowlo took good observations ofthe |
Coreans, and counted more than thirty.
six guns in position, besides there were
seen numbers Of gingalls carried by two
men each. These last, with the hammered |
men, helped 10 select the array which |
formed upon the side and top Of the hill
behind the stone wall. The turning
point Of the river was now almost
reached, and when nt distance Of about
100 yards from the shore, stream of fire
was poured FROM the large fort, followed
In few minutes by the discharge of guns
from the fort on the right bank. The
launches were nj once turned, bows on
tho main fort, and their guns quickly re-
piled, while the Palos and MOnococy,
coming up on the fire, the Rnallide
ratified away over tho heads Of the flo.
tilla with their elght.inch rined guns.
Lieut.. Commander Rockwell with Palos
made splendid practice with the bow
guns, while Capt McCrea, who In the
MonOcacy gave the enemy full benefit Of
his boad side battery at close quarters,
so close that the vessel gra2ed some Of the
hidden rocks which formed n reef fort
above tho bend OF the river. Notwith-
standing this accident which displaced
an iron plate and caused her TO leak,
they kept up steady fire until the forts
were silcnced During the action there
was little or no breeze, and thick
smoke from the shore and river al.
most hid the cOmbatants. At In.
tcrvnls, however, was noticed red sand
with mortar from the walls flying of in
clouds as shells burst In the works, and
In ten minutes from the commencement
Of the firing the Coreana were driven
back over the hills Admiral Rodgers
had said before tho surveying the party
left his ship, don't fire unless you are
fired upon, but ir yon aro fired
upon don't he first TO stop firing.
There were no orders given TO land,
40 that aIler Capt. Black had satisfied
himself az TO the discontinue Of the en-.
emy, the gunboats and launches were or.
dered to move around the bend and
anchor II short distance above the scene
Of action. All the casualties reported
were on the Alaska. A launch sailor was
In the act Of pointing n howitzer, when
ball struck him on the side Of the head
and shoulders. Another had two fingers
cut of by the recoll OF gun. II seems
strange that with the hot and close firing
on the part Ol the Coreans such small
damage should resuliy but II IL believed
that this fortunate issue for the boats was
owing 10 the larger guns on the forts lie.
Ing elevated loo much for the gunboats J
and launches. They were all more nr
less struck Ivy the balls, and many mar.
row escapes took place, but fortunately
none were badly hurt. Amer the boats
had rounded the point the Coreans re- 9
turned to their guns, and In time TO open I
upon one launch ofthe Benecia, which was s
destroyed and LEFT behind Master $