The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1885-06-04
Twenty Years Agn.


WASHINGTON, June 2.-Leut. Geo. C.
Faulk, of the navy, under the date of Zolko-
rea, March 10, has sent to the navy depart
American steamer Sherman and the behead
ing of portion of her crew on the Yellow Sea
Coast OF Korea, in 1856. The narrative was
rean Christian, of good standing, ard is pub
lshed for the first time. Lieut.. Faux says !:
1.-THE Sherman arrived in the Yellow river in
aR sns e% bs short below
was seen, from the walls of Phyong
Yang Yang n,a and was vast the cause Of much
the condition OF the fTer which,
was then very nigh, no boats ventured near
her for some time, and when the water began
officer to inquire her mission. The common
PEG .le took advantage of the departure OF
these officers for the Sherman to crafty their
party being in large fleet of small boats,
which put out from the shore together. The
Sherman people not understanding the object
OF the approaching Ia expedition considered the
officers, accompanied by all the other
retarned to the City The river fell rapdig
after this, and in q few days the Sherman
went aground. This was seen from the City
ward the schoonep this Time wt soste @
! teDtiOns. The people being armed, shots were
again fired from the Sherman, and the Koreans
| the people of the city were now enraged.
Boats were loaded with cOmbustile material
and taken to points above the schooner an
| chorage. Here they were fired and allowed to
drift down upon her. The Sherman was soon
! in flames. Her people jumped overheard to
save themselves, but most of them drowned.
A few were picked up by the Korean boats.
WV" prisoners were brought before the KomSa
lns ~"d. They told the object of the
and examu.u &c TO save themselves were
Sherman. All etforss d" days they were
led out OF prison and befieadea. ..
Up to 1870, the United States Government
could learn nothing Of the Shermahs dssIrqe-
n comman of the Asiatic Squadron, was or
dered to investigate her loss. ;, Commodore
schley, Of Greely fame, was at the time con
he said: Fine 1 a sanadron ' went
to e 49,, Ye MiS Seq ana to the he
learn If possible, something of Sfierman's
| loss. In order to ascend the river we obtain
| ed permission of the Korean officials to make
river for some distance. The Paloe and Mono
| cacy continued further. The two vessels
were fired upon from the Korean Notifications
admIai RODGERS Sent messsge 70 tSt
| Korean officials, giving them ten days in which
they might make an explanation for firing OF
communication, and at the expiration OF tel
days, the Admiral determined to secure an ex
PLANTATION by France. We landed one thou
sand men and attacked the Notifications. Tn
result was that nearly seven hundred Korean
were killed and about fifteen hundred pris
Oners taken. We lost only twenty-five o
thirty. The explanation afterwards given TO
firing on onr vessels was that the Korean
| never allowed a foreign vessel to go up tn
river without firing on 1T. Our investigated
; | Cf the sherman destruction was determines
because of the fight with the Koreans"
Commodore Shelley attributes to this figh
the making of the Korean Treaty with tn
United States, about two years ago.