The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-08-15
BATTLE WITH THE COREANS
The Americans Triumphant.
The Coreans Fight Desperately.
Death of Lieutenant Mckee

San Francisco, August 1.-THE
following is the news per steamer Japan:
All is quiet in Japan. Immense i'm
provements are being made in Yeddo,
including the widening and deepening
of canals, railways, new barracks, and
new place for the Mikado. a tre-
mendious typhoon did great damage at
Kiobin.
In the second battle OF the American
squadron with the Coreans, the latter
had six thousand men miserably armed
with jingalls. Their bullets all fell
short, while the deadly practice Of the
American rifles told feariully on the
enemy. In the evening, under cover Of
rank Vegetation and the shoulder OF a
hill, the Americans advanced within
one hundred and twenty yards OF the
forts before they came in range Of the
Corean musketry. The Coreans re-
sisted desperately to the last and
Lieutenant Mckee was killed as
he entered the entertainments.
When the Americans were in the en-
trenchment, the Coreans succumbed,
and number Of prisoners were taken,
including an officer, second in command,
who was badly wounded, the Com.
mander.in Chief having been killed
June 10Th. The American force biv-
ouacked in the forts the next day, de
molished the citadel, spiked the guns,
and returned to.their anchorage. Two
days later the Coreans sent on board a
letter filled with most insulting Ian
guage, to which no reply was sent.
Admiral Rogers, however, sent 10 know
what he should do with the prisoners
The Coreans answered to DO what he
liked. Two days later he set them at
liberty. He sent two messages ashore,
but the local authorities refused them,
saving it was as much as his head was
worth to send them and no use to at.
tempt to communicate further with the
Court.
Mr.. Low, American Minister, then
sent formal protest that his mission
was a peaceful one, and that the attack
on the forts was not for the refusal TO
negotiate, but because the COreans, too,
treacherously fred on the boats. The
steamer Milet then dispatched the
Shanghai dispatches. The Washing
ton, Monocacy and Pelos will return
to Shanghai. He docked the rest OF
the squadron, and returned to Chefo to
await instructions. One bundred thou
sand rations were issusd at Chcs5o to
the Coreans, who fought like men.
The weapons were wretched old fire
locks, and cutlasses made OF SOFT iron,
which bent like old iron. They were
dressed in armor OF nine thickncsses
of cotton, padded so that only rifle balls
could penetrate it, the swords producing
no effect.
The documents captured showed that
the Corean Government had planned
the surprise Of the American fleet, and
that they were astonished at the
failure of the forts to annihilate the
foreign vessels at the first fire. The ex-
peditIon has not accomplished any
change in the relations OF the two coun-
tries, and Minister Low and Admiral
Rogers will await instructions from
Washington before proceeding further
with hosulities. Twelve native Chris
tians, who were alongside the Admirals
flagship in a junk, begged to be taken
to Shanghai, aud also that their junk
be turned to prevent its falling into the
hands Of the native authorities, who
would thereby discover from what VII
Iage they came and publish their rela-
tives. The request was granted.