The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-07
ALWAYS IN THE FIGHT
ANOTHER BATCH or INCIDENTS IN
COMMODORE sCHLEY's CAREER.
Gallant Assault On and Destruction OF
Five Korean Forts-The Rescue
of Lieutenant Greedy.
DR.. Elliot Grfis, in The Independent.

|
writers familiar with his career as we'll
as those who enjoy a personal acquaintance
unite in saying that in Commodore Schley
are combined the three ideal attributes of
commander-rapidity of decision, GOODNESS
In action and courage that knows no fear.
10 these may be added an equally COM
mendable trait-modesty THE victory be-
longs to every officer and man on the fleet,
! ne said In reference to the naval triumph
at Santiago, and emphasized the admirable
sentiment by calling upon the officers to
cheer the men below and ''the men behind
the guns"
During four years in Japan / saw most
or the wooden ships famous in the civil
war, besides meeting the gray-haired vet
Grams and the young officers trained by Far
ragut, Dupont, Porter and Rodgers. In the
seas surrounding the Mikados domain a
brilliant chapter of American naval history
| has been written. 1t is pleasant to-day to
see how grandly certain of our officers have
fulfilled the promise of twenty-five years
ago. l speak of one of my naval acquaint-
| ances on the Asiatic station.
| In 1871, besides the beautiful frigate
Colorado, and the corvettes Alaska and Benz
cha, there were the two gunboats, the Palos
| and the Monocacy-now the lone survivor
|
able TO take part in the Manila triumph
! Lieutenant Commander Schley was one Of
me most popular and efficient officers. On
the Benlcla ne seemed to understand to
| perfection the powers, limitations and lido
/ syncracies of the American sailor. Severe
| IN ulsclpllne, standing no Sinking, he yet
| knew the power of a joke TO tighten toll
and make men forget inconsistencies and
trouble; Schley, came of that old 'Pennsyl,
| out into Maryland and Virginia, producing
| some of the ablest Americans in all de-
| partmentS of human achievement One of
| that stock to-day, inheriting the skill of
| generations, expert with the rifle on channels
ana deer, and with war memories of Buck
| tall regiments, is rated chief gunner of
| the cruiser Columbia, though but eighteen
| years old.
Schley born in Barbara Fretchies coun-
| ty, through which flows the Monocacy
| joined the navy as midshipman in 1856. I'm
! der Farragut he fought in the naval battles
| of 1863, which LED up to the capture of Port
! Hudson. One of his shipmates, a brother of
mine, tells of his dash, courage and GOODNESS
under fire. Indeed, on one occasion Schley
| developed most convenient deafness to
messages and color blindness to signals UNI
| til he had hammered a Confederate battery
to pieces. Farragut's reprimand, however
was like that given by Tatnall to American
| sailors for serving the gun of the British
! Plover against the Chinese forts. 1t was a
| burr outwardly, but in true inwardness it
was nuts"
A LESSON TO KOREA.
When Korea's royal line became desinent
and that human tiger. the Tai-W Kun,
ruled the Hermit nation our government
sent fleet, offering both the olive branch
and the arrows in the eagles claws and
bidding the recluses take either. Kissed on
| to their treachery by the old Regent in
Seoul, the Koreans fired, not one shot, but
with hundreds of jingals and cannon on our
survey boats in the Han river This was too
much for Fighting John Rodgers, and,
| following as il did the murder in 1856 of the
| crew of the American schooner General
| Sherman, was too much for Minister Low.
| Waiting ten days for an apology and eX-
PLANTATION and none coming, Lieutenant
! Commander w. S. Schley was put in COM
mand of the land expedition of chastise-
ment, consisting of $50 men and seven
| The Colorado, Benicia and Alaska, on
which John Crittenaen Watson, now conf
| shallow Han river but the Pa1os and the
| Monocacy Ca double-ender) were sent to
| she'll the five forts. These were immensely
CAV with banners that seemed to be en-
| broidered or painted with all the zoology
! Of the Apocalypse. Under the winged SER
penis and the leopards with pinions glared
| the white-coated tiger hunters from the
north who in 1866 had driven off Admiral
| Roze and his French marines.
British officers on their lron-cladS had
freely sneered and TESTED at the Anticipated
| tubs of our navy; but as OF yore and now,
the men behind the guns were more than
| ships arms.
Five stone-waled forts. the chief one in
| size and the strongest perched like, tal-
| con on pinnacle, were to be taken; but the
! Monocacys eleven-inch shells, the Valor of
our marines and the splendid craftsmanship
| of our Dahlgren batteries on land, gave
| Schley and the sailors little to do the first
| day.
| Then night, camp, morning march in
| the intense moist heat of Sunday. June H.
| 1871. AT noon, a little band of $50 Ameri-
| cans confronted the eyrie fort, whose para
| pets were splitting fire at them across ra-
| vine eighty feet deep. All around were
| masses of Infatuated Koreans ready to rush
To w q m
| grenS and outposts keep the enemy back?
Even if they could where were the goats to
climb or the birds to fly? Could ordinary
| men rush down the slope and up the crags
when already fainting in the heat?
A DESPERATE FIGHT.
| Nevertheless, Schley posted his little
| forces wisely and then gave the signal.
Down into the gorge and then up the dizzy
heights our marines and sailors rushed,
eaped, climbed, holding their fire till
within the breach made by the Molocacys
shells. Then rnatch-locks We're dropped and
the men who had locked into the tigers
swapping eyes seized the spear. Even with
stones they faced Plymouth and Springfield
rifles. One stalwart hunter speared to death
Lieutenant Mckee, and then rushed at
Schley. The lunge was made but the steel
passed between and body and saved
the hero for Cervera Schey landed his
forces safely on the decks again, after five
forts had been destroyed as fully as She'll
work. At the next opportunity under
Shufeldt the Koreans made a treaty of
peace. For second time the United States
led hermit nation into the worlds broth
erkoo6.
Ten years afterward I inquired of a naval
officer concerning the hero of the Han forts
The gratifying answer was made: mo mat
ter where or how situated, Schley will have
an hour daily for special studies belonging
to his profession" He steadily becom-
ing one of the foremost naval men OF his
age.
1t vas blood-warming sight and one to
make the eyes moist when in 1884 the sail
ore on the Thetis and Bear. as the ships
moved out of the Brooklyn navy yard flung
their caps in the water. What did it mean?
Schley was seeking to save Greedy and
his men. Our tars, confident in their COM
r1ander, believed they would reach home
successfully and get their caps again. They
did. Not a second to be or was lost.
Schley knew it. and he knew his ships He
Iammed the ice till their masts bent like
reeds in gale. Forty-eight hours more and
all would have been dead. On June % 1884
as the home church bells We're ringing for
prayer, the rescue was made; Greedy and
his six men were saved Now, general and
commodore are comrades in a war that
means the advance of civilization.
After such heroism, who could not preach
with a thrill upon the text
For thus saith the Lord that created the
heavens; God himself that formed the earth
and made it, He hath established it, He
mot EAws~~