Evening star., 1885-06-06
OUR BLuE..JACkETs IN KOREA.
Haw OutraSes on the American Flag
Were Avenged by Admiral Rodgers.

L
Hsw Outrases on the American Flag
Were Avenged by Admiral Rodgers.
THE STORY OF THE EXPEDITION AS TOLD BY AN
| Ex-MARINE-How THE BRAVE But POORLY
ARMED KOREANS WERE ROUTED BY A SMALL
FORCE.
| "I see by the papers," said Policeman Daniel
Williams to q STAR reporter, "that all the par
ticulars have at last been learned about the loss
| OF the American schooner Sherman in Korean
| waters in 1866. 1t made very interesting read
| ing to me- he continued "for was member
OF the expedition under Admiral Rodgers in
| 1S1O-71, to Korea, to try to learn what had
| become ofthe Sherman and to avenge the firing
| upon the Shenandoah, which went to Korea in
| 1868 for the same purpose"
"You must have been very young" said the
reporter.
! a drummer boy during the war, having entered
| After the war was over enlisted in the marine
| corps, and was drummer on the Colorado
WITH seaIed esers orSed ut tf Naras az
| May 18th, 1871, and the vessels of the Asiatic
squadron proceeded TO Korea together, for there
| had been tried. The squadron under command
of Admiral Rodgers consisted of the Colorado,
Alaska, Benecia, Monocacy and Palos. We
were the remainder OF the month in making
our way into
| THE KOREAN WATERS.
They were almost unknown to us, and we
| had to make surveys we went along. We
| had chart that helped some. 1t was given to
| us by the French. You see, in 1S6S, French
| vessel went up the Seoul river to see about some
| French missionaries. They were received by
| the Koreans, but nearly all were beheaded
| Those who remained with the ship managed to
| get away, and made this rude chart.
| We came to anchor May 10th at the south
west entrance of Korea, having 125 miles yet
! to go to reach Boise island. our destination
all of which had to be surveyed.
| After anchorng at Boise island there were
several junks in sight. A boat was lowered
| and, with an interpreter, was sent within speak
| ing distance OF one. The Koreans on the junk
| consented to communicate with u.s. and the
| junk came alongside the Colorado. The natives
came aboard and were shown Through the ship
| They were greatly astonished at the armament
and heavy guns. From their dress we took
| took them to be officials OF rank. Their
tune was white, the higher officers wearing
white SILK OF very superior quality. They
left the ship finally on friendly terms, hoping
| that we intended them no harm. The next day
| the admiral received
| COMMUNICATION FROM THE KING,
which said, there was q man from your coun-
| try came here to form a treaty. He was told to
| go away, and he did SO. Why can't you do the
same? We don't want any intercourse with
| your country. You come thousands of miles to
destroy our land and people Do you come for
satisfaction for the Sherman: Her people We're
| treated well and protected until they broke the
| laws OF our country by committing piracy, and
| then they had to suffer death. You have tne
with you. Two days following a surveying
| party was sent out under Capt Blake, OF the
Alaska, to make soundings up the river Seoul
| There were iortltcatiOnS on both sides of the
| river and when about nine miles from the
| fleet the party was fired upon from them. This
meant that we % Mere & to go no further The fire
soon driven from the works to the woods. In
| twenty minutes not a Korean was to be seen.
| The party reJoined the ship. and preparations
| were made tor active operations. The natives
| III the meantime busted themselves in throw
ing up breastworks. On the 7th of June a Ko-
| rean junk came alongside with a boat load of
panied by
| A REQUEST TO GO AWAY.
The admiral declined the present, remarking
that he had enough provisions to last a year.
The visitors Immediately departed and were
soon out of sight. Haversacks made in six
days, canteens, sixty rounds of ammunition,
and two days rations were issued to the men.
| The landing force was to consist of 500 men
under Capt. Kimberly. The weather was sim
| ply perfect. l never saw such beautiful days.
On the morning of June 10th the Palos and
Monocacy weighed anchor and towed the land
| ing party. When about five miles from
| anchorage q Korean junk was seen not n great
way Oft, and one OF the launches was ordered to
go over to find out what she wanted, as she was
! dying flag. The interpreter brought back Il
| letter to the effect that they wished 10 apollo
gize for insulting our flag, but notice was
taken of it. The natives soon opened fire on
the Monocacy, which was ahead. The fire was
returned with great SLAUGHTER. AT noon the
ssaaa st nding The ma
upon the fort, but there appeared to be no
one in or around it they waited for the main
mud fat, and we Stuck in the mud nearly up
| to our waists, and it took us some time to get
ont. The artillery was almost buried in the
| treated to the woods and left the fort and its
contents in our hands, for the men We're all
| much fatigued with their eXertions In the
| fort which we designated as No. 1, we found
guns of various kinds, ranging from to 81
pounds all made fast to trees. We went into
| camp there for the night We broke camp the
| next morning and proceeded to attack fort No
?, but there was not soul in it, We destroyed
| the fort and spiked the guns and then pro-
| ceeded towards fort No. ), which was the most
| important defense of the Koreans, and at a dis
tance seemed hard to take The Monocacy was
DONG good work sending grape and canister
| into the center of the fort. We signaled to be
| careful of their shooting. as We were going to
CHARGE THE FORT.
The order was given to charge, and in less than
no time we were inside the fort fighting hand
to hand. The guns and other weapons of the
enemy were of old style, and were not very
effective. There were no heavy guns inside
They were all down on the river front lashed to
port holes and trees. and trained only to fire in
| one direction, While entering the fort Lieut.
Mckee fell with bullet and a spear through
his body. The enemy saw that their time had
| come, but yelled defantly, and rolled heavy
stones upon our boys. A few of our men were
killed, and about thirty slightly wounded. The
|
| bered 246. Twenty-Five wounded and twenty
unhurt Koreans fell into our hands as prison.
| ers. The enemy could be seen flying far back
| into the country, leaving their homes and prop
erty in our hands. There wasn't a woman
| or child to be seen in the country
| We camped there for the night, taking every
| precaution against a surprise. We were not
| molested, and in the morning we could see the
| Koreans emerge from their hiding places at a
| distance, and in groups watch our movements
| The officers were satisfied with the punish
| ment inflicted upon the natives, and the force
| reembarked, being watched by a large force of
| Koreans. The prisoners put in single
| close watching. The Koreans numbered nearly
| 5000, but their reinforceImentS were cut off
| that they did not number more than 500 at
| any one place. They were a very brave set of
men and fought like devils. They were all
| nearly exactly the same size, not very tall and
with better weapons they would have made a
| better fight. After we rejoined the fleet the
admiral did not know what to do with
THE PRISONERS,
| So he communicated with the native officials
| by posting letter on board stuck in the
ground. 1t was taken and answered in the
same way. The admiral was told to kill them
if he wanted to, but he didn't, and sent them
all ashore. About that time a Korean Junk
| came alongside the Colorado, the people on
board claiming to be Christians and asking for
protection. The Koreans, they said, We're llur-
derng all Christians, and over 10, 600 had been
executed In the past three months. Their re-
| quest was granted and their junk burned
50 that there would be no trace of them. They
| were taken to CheIOo, whittier the fieet pro-
| ceeded. i! suppose that the present friendly
| treaty with Korea resulted from that eXped-
fn1 A,1r,,ir u