Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-06-01
The Vessel Burned and She Crew Be.
headed.

THE FATE OF THE SCHOONER SHERMAN ON THE
KOREAN COAST.
Lieut. George G. Foulk the naval attache of
the Korean legation ~ Seoul, has furnished to
the Navy department an account of the destruc-
ton of the American schooner Sherman on the
Yellow sea coast of Korea, in 1866. The circum-
stances attending the destruction of the Sher-
man and the manner in which her crew lost
their lives, have thus become known for the
first time Lieut.. Foulk says that the Sher-
man arrived in the Fetong river i'm Au-
gust, during a rise of the river, and anchored
The vessel was seen from the walls of
Phyong Yong, and caused much excitement
When the water began to subside the provincial
governor sent officers To inquire her mission.
The common people took advantage of the de-
parture of these officers for the Sherman and
went with them, the whole party being in "a
large fleet of small boats which put out from
the shore together. The SheTman's people. not
understanding the object of the approaching
expedition considered the movement as a hos
tile demonstration and fired several shots in
the air. The officers, accompanied by all the
other people, at once turned back and returned
to the city. The river fell rapidly after this
and in q few days the Sherman went aground
Another fleet of boats came toward the schooner
this time with hostile intent, the people being
armed. Shots were again fired from the Sherman
and the Koreans turned back as before. Both
the officers and people of the city Were now en-
ragged. Boats were loaded with combustfhle
schooners anchorase II Here 't thew 4ere rad rd
and allowed to drift down upon her. The Sher-
man was soon in flames. Her people jumped
overheard to save themselves, but most of them
were drowned. A few were picked up bv
Korean boats which had put cut after them
They told the object of the Sherman's coming
and tried to explain why white flag had been
waved on board of her upon the approach Of
the fire boats. All efforts to save themselves
were useless, however, and in n few days they
were let out of prison and beheaded.
ADMIRAL RODGERS TEACHES THE KOREANS
A LESSON, RESULTING IN THE PRESENT
TREATY.
Lieut. Foulk, one of the few white men who
speak Korean, ascertained the above facts from
Korean Christian of good standing When the
Sherman failed to turn up in course of time il
became evident that she had been lost in the
vicinity of Korea, and in 1870 the vessels OF the
Asiatic squadron, commanded by Rear Admiral
John Rodgers, were sent to Korea to learn. if
possible, how She was lost. When the vessels
entered the Sale river they were fired
upon from the Korean Notifications. This
was an insult, and Admiral Rodgers
allowed the Koreans ten days in which
to make an explanation. AT the expiration of
that time, there being no explanation except
Ing that no vessels could enter their waters
without being fired upon, Il iorce of men was
sent ashore from the fleet, of which Commo-
dOre Schey, the lieutenant commander was
second in command. Six or eight hundred
Koreans were killed and so captured, and the
fortifications were destroyed. subsequently
Admiral Shufcldt was sent to Korea as a Spe-
cial envoy, and was received, and succeeded in
effecting the Korean treaty, which is now in
force.