Year: 1871

in the Corea give full and graphic
account Of the victory achieved by our
forces under the command of Admiral
Rodgers. Of course the affair is only zone of
our little wars, as they say in England and
1t has been as successful and, with one or two
melancholy exceptions, as bloodless as that
brilliant Abyssinian campaign, of which, as Of
this, the HERALD was the earliest historic
grapher. But still even the most trivial skir-
mish in which American lives have been i'm
perilled for the vindication of American honor
must ever be of interest to all good citizens,
| and we are sure our readers will thrill with
pleasure as they master the story of the battle
of the 18th of June 1t is another chapter


added to the precious annals of American mil


itary glory.


The story of The fight is very simple. On
the 10th of June six hundred men landed on
the island of Koughia, and with very little
opposition captured the marine redoubt
| They then encamped for the night. Next
morning they slowly worked their way through
swamp, painfully dragging the heavy
howitzers through mud foot deep until they
reached and, without resistance took Fort
Monocacy. Beyond this the land was broken
up into little hills and it was only with
extreme difficulty that the guns were drawn
over the ground At last Elbow, or as it is
now christened Mckee, Fort was gained. The
Coreans made desperate resistance and dis
played the coo! courage which is one Of the
few noble traits of an Oriental driven to bay.
But their weapons were almost harmless, and,
with a rush and cheer, the avengers of our
murdered countrymen scrambled over the
works. and the almond-eyed barbarians either
fed or surrendered Our death list is in this
brief but brilliant engagement comparatively
small, and we have the satisfaction of knowing
hat our men signally showed the spirit and
pluck of American blood


In striking contrast with the precision, the
frmness and the vigor of our operations in the
field has been the vacillaton in counsel and
purpose displayed in the diplomatic conduct
of the contest. Months ago we felt it our
duty to sharply criticse the management of
the war by the State Department in Washing
ton, and by its chosen agents in China. We
predicted then exactly what has now proved
to be the sad fact, that after winning military
Victories at the price OF precious lives, we
should have to withdraw from this in
hospitable coast without having gained
anything except wreath OF worthless
laurels Perhaps this victory has done some
thing, if not much, for our reputation as a
people. But how little has it given us
in, aturr for tho 1.-Two Nd tron
expended, in comparison with what
we should and ought to have got if the men to
whom we have contided the management of
our affairs were as wise in the Cabinet as our
sailors have been brave in the field? The end
so far promised by this well won struggle
seems merely to be a merted punishment for
the past, but only doubtful security for the
future.


| Neither Mr., Fish nor Mr.. Low seem to
have formed at any juncture of the affair
any very distinct idea of what they were
going TO do In the official dispatches we
are told that the object Of the expedition
was TO get satisfaction for the outrages
upon, the crew of the General Sherman
and 10 negotiate a treaty with the
Coreans which should insure the safety of
our sailors shipwrecked upon this unfriendly
shore in the future. But our wiseacres evil
IDENTIFY could not make up their minds whether
the expedition was to accomplish its avowed
purpose by force or by diplomacy They,
therefore, sent force altogether too large for
the delivery of message Of peace and alto
gether too small for the effectual prosecution
of a war.


induce the Coreans to be humane and rea-
sonable, we ought to have sent an expedi-
tion too Insignificant to suggest any menace
OF hostilites. How absurd and undignifed if
it were determined in no case to resort to the
heroic remedy OF arms, to make grand dis
play of forces which we had not the slightest
intention OF calling into action Nor is it to
the purpose for Mr.. Fish or Admiral Rodgers
or Mr.. Low or whoever else is willing to
shoulder The responsibility to say that single
ship-ot-war would have been una ble to pro-
tect herself against outrage. This is sheer
nonsense. The smallest seagoing steam vessel
in our feet can visit any corner of the
Taf East ana save herSell at any tlIne
from the attacks OF all the junks and prahms
in Chinese waters.


We believe, however, that from the outset
the strong probability of war was, in
sneaking sort of way, foreseen. Such con-
tingeEoy was doubtless as unpleasant to Mr.
Low and embarrassing to Mr.. Fish as it was
inspiring to Admiral Rodgers Mr. Low,
ever since he went to China, has had but one
idea-io disprove the sOundness Of the policy
pursued by his predecessor, who stoutly held
that il was about as wise to expect a sense of
honor and justice in Chnaman as in an
Apache. Mr.. Low, indeed. is the slave of the
twadde which the Chinese government in
dnced Mr.. Burlinghame to prettily say for
them to the Western Powers He