The morning call., 1894-08-02
AMERICANS OPENED KOREA.
In Those Days the Troops of the
Peninsula Could Fight.

Peninsula COuIo Fight.
The New York Herald prints the fol-
lowing story of the opening of Korea to
the Western world interesting at this par
ticular time:
In order to trace the history OK Americas re-
la.ions with Korea and the general opening up
OF the country TO the influence OF Western civ
lliZatiop, 10 is necessary TO go back TO the year
1866. At that time Korea was the Hermit
Kingdom" in more than name. The present
King had ascended the throne couple OF years
before but being q mere boy, tie Government
was wholly IN the hands of his regent father,
who was bitter hater both OF foreigners and
of change. Some French missionaries, who had
braved the law OF the country aud boldly ad
vancrd into the native cities, were horribly mas
sacred in 1866, and a French expedition sent
TO cbastise the Koreans asceEeed the Seoul
River and attacked several forts, but lost heav-
lily and the expedition sailed away without
having accomplished the end aimed at and
having left the Korean soldiers with the i'm
preston that the foreigner could not fight aHd
that the Corean was invlncible.
In the same year an American schooner, the
General Sherman, chartered by British
trader, sailed for China on an experimental
voyage of trade and discovery. The vessel en-
tered the Ta-tOng Biyer, and never returned.
II was burned by natives, and those on board
were slaughtered to the last man. On the
news OF this massacre being received Com
mander-now Rear-Admiral-R. w. Shureldt
visited the peninsula with he warshIp Wacbu-
sett ON a mission OF inquiry. No satisfaction
was obtained, and a similar missien under
Commander Febiger of the Shenandoah, dis
patched a few months later, proved equally
barren. Finally, in 1871, the Asiatic squad
ron, consisting Of the flagship Colorado, the
coryettes Alaska and Benicia, with the gun.
boats Monocacy-now at Chemulpo-and Palos,
was dispatched under Rear-Admira Rodgers
to Korean waters.
1t was intended to secure a treaty for the
protection OF Americans shipwrecked on the
coast OF Korea, TO inquire into the General
Sherman affair and to obtain II possible treaty
of commerce. Peaceful negotiations. however,
proved to be impossible. The natives garri-
soned the forts along the river and prepared to
m Ike things hot for the foreigners should they
attempt to ascend the rive toward the capital.
A survey exped under Captain Horner
NJ Lake, consisting of the Monocacy and Palos.
with four steam launches, was sent up the
river. When they were close to Kang.wa ISL
aud the Korean batteries, containing some
eight guns, opened fire upon them. The re-
doubt was instantly wrapped in sheet OF
flames, dscharging in few seconds about 300
shots. One account says that these rasped the
Civil War had never known such rapid firing,
Yet only one American was wounded.
Fortunately the order 10 fire had been given
few seconds late; the American vessels were
already out OF the line OF fire, and as the guns
OF the natives were fastened op logs they could
not be manipulated and were OF no further use.
The answering fire from the gunboats and
launches soon cleared the fort OF Its defenders
and a week later punitive expedition was
landed In order to teach the Koreans neces-
sary lesson. The force, composed Of $50 men,
was led by Commander l.. A. Kimberley, the
adjutant-general being Lieutenant Commander
w. Scott Schley, who was afterward to win
fame as the rescuer of Lieutenant Greedy.
The first battery, which was attacked unex-
pectedly In the rear, was taken without diff
Guilty the wotks were completely demolished
and the cannon rolled into the river. On the
following day the next fort-"Fort Monocacy"
as it was chrlstened-was cleared by shells
from the Monocacy's guns and was then dis
mantled by the landed troops. An advance
was next made upon the citadel or principal
fort, which was perched on the crest of rocky
hill. The Koreans were lowering beyond the
reach OF our guns In vastly superior numbers,
and were evidently waiting for an opportunity
to crush the little American army as soon as It
had entered the ravine lying below the fort.
To defeat these tactics five howtZers and two
companies OF infantry were posted as rear
guard on rising ground, while the main body
moved forward to storm the citadel. The Ko.
reans attacked the howtzers In large numbers.
but the excellent practice made by the Amerl-
can gunners under Master A. V. Williams
scattered them effectually ana prevented any
large body of them from getting In close quar-.
ters with our men.
Presently, at a signal previously agreed upon.
the firing from the MonOcacy ceased and amid
a hail OF bullets from the enemy our men
sprang up the steep Incline to attack the cta.
del. They swarmed over the ramparts or
the breaches and in twinkllng were at close
quarters with the defending garrison The
Koreans fought stubbornly to the last without
asking for quarter and were all OF them slain.
After that the remaining subsidiary forts were
soon captured and fifty flags aud 4S1 pieces OF
artillery fell into the hands OF he conquerers.
The citadel was named Fort Mckee In honor of
the gallant young officer who was the first over
| the parapeJ.
| The defeat of 1871 probably rendered the
Koreans more ready to treat peaceably with
| foreigners than they were before. In any case