OUR WAR IN KOREA

War Council, Korean campaign 1871, Admiral Rogers on right leaning over table,

The Cortland Democrat, Friday, October 19, 1894.

OUR WAR IN KOREA.

THE GUNBOAT AND MARINE ATTACK ON THE RIVER SEOUL.

The Navy Tried Demands and Then Diplomacy to Get Satisfaction for an [Outrage] upon American sailors—Defiance [Furnished] by Shot and Shell.

(Copyright 1894, by American Press Association. Book rights reserved.)

   The "Hermit Nation," which caused the [war] between Japs and China, had her thrashing at the hands of the United States. It occurred in 1871, and it was administered by our seamen as punishment for outrage upon [men] of their craft.

   In the early fall of 1866 a trading vessel, called the General Sherman, officered by Americans and flying the stars and stripes, was attacked in Ping Yang [Pyongyang] river in the interior of Korea, and destroyed. According to the last accounts, her crew was murdered and the ship burned, but there were rumors among seafaring men for a long time afterward that some of the General Sherman people were alive and held as prisoners by the Koreans. About that time a party of French missionaries in Korea were murdered, and when the French navy attempted to sail up the river Han to seek redress, the Koreans drove them away with so good a showing of warlike stuff that the outside world began to respect them. Admiral Bell, commanding the Asiatic squadron of the United States navy, reported that the proper place to seek redress for the General Sherman outrage was at Seoul, and that, judging by the experience of the French tars, he would require a fleet of light draft boats to ascend the shallow Han and 2,000 fighting men for service on land.

   Nothing came of Admiral Bell's suggestion, but in 1867 and again in 1868 the captains of American warships cruising in Asiatic waters attempted to get satisfaction from Korean authorities for the Sherman affair. Two accounts were offered, one by the people and another by the officials. The former said that the unfortunate party on the Sherman had been massacred in a melee on shore by Korean natives without instructions from the Chinese mandarins, whose authority they acknowledged. An official calling himself, among other lofty and poetic titles, "district magistrate" and exercising control over the country along the Ping Yang river, stated that the General Sherman was a pirate, her people disrespectful to the customs of Korea, and that they finally made war upon the vessels, and cities of the Ping Yang. At last she was destroyed and her officers and men killed.

   The matter then rested until 1870, when Admiral John Rodgers went out from America to assume command of our Asiatic squadron. His instructions were anti-belligerent. Negotiations were to be conducted by the United States minister to China, and the admiral was instructed to carry upon his flagship, the Colorado, the members of the diplomatic commission, who would join him at Shanghai. The object of the expedition was to be a treaty for the protection of American "seamen who might come to grief in Korean waters." A show of power was to be made for the sake of effect.

   The fleet consisted of the Monocacy, Palos, Alaska, Benecia and Colorado, and was accompanied by the United States minister to China, Mr. F. W. Low. It arrived off the Korean coast in May, 1871, and proceeded to enter the mouth of the Han. The Koreans had evidently heard of the expedition through Chinese sources, for as soon as the fleet anchored in the river off the capital a deputation of officials moved out in a boat and made signs, asking for a communication. Interpreters met them and welcomed them on board the flagship, and the next day another party came on hoard, but having no credentials Minister Low and Admiral Rodgers refused to see them. They declared that the General Sherman was a pirate; that they (the Koreans) wished to be let alone and have no intercourse with other people. Both deputations carried back word to the Korean authorities that the presence of the American navy had no hostile object, but would make some surveys of the river above the city.

   In order to give time to the Korean authorities to prepare for negotiations the survey was delayed a week, and on June 1 the Palos and Monocacy preceded by several steam launches, sailed up the river. Passing several batteries, they came within sight of Fort du Conde on an island completely blocking the passage of the river. The fort was decorated with flags, and all was astir there, but the expedition kept on as before without suspicion of danger, the unprotected launches in the lead. These launches were four in number, manned by 11 men each. They were armed with cutlasses, pistols and Remington rifles, and three of the launches carried a 12 pounder boat howitzer each, while the fourth had a 24 pounder. These were supplied with shell, canister and shrapnel. Taking advantage of the flood tide, the launches steamed rapidly on, all abreast, making soundings as they proceeded. The Palos and Monocacy followed.

   The men in the launches counted nearly 2,000 Koreans in martial array upon the bluffs and cannon mounted on the parapets of the batteries and the fort to the number of 50 or 60. At the point of the island on which the fort stood the river makes a sharp turn, and above the bend the current moves in a rapid whirl. The movement the boats encountered the whirl, a signal gun was fired on the summit of a hill behind the fortifications, and simultaneously scores of guns opened upon the launches. Admiral Rodgers’ orders had been that the surveyors should not fire unless fired upon, and the attack having been begun by the Koreans the boat howitzers were at once turned against the forts. Seeing that, all the batteries on both sides of the river joined in bombarding the launches, but the showers of missiles had little effect because the guns could not shift their muzzles to follow the movements of the boats. The firing continued until the gunboats Palos and Monocacy steamed up and shelled the Koreans out of their works. When the last gun had been silenced, the party returned down the river, not having lost a man killed and only one hit by Korean missiles.

   When the expedition rejoined the fleet below the city, the admiral wanted to avenge the insult promptly, but the expedition being a diplomatic one he decided to wait for an apology from the Korean authorities. None coming, a warlike expedition sailed up the river on June 10. It consisted of the Monocacy and Palo and four steam launches. On board was a party of marines from the several gunboats, numbering 750 men. The ships and boats moved up the river, the bands playing the popular sailor airs of America and the crews singing and cheering. The Koreans looked on in amazement when the handful of men put off in boats and made for land on a mud flat half a mile wide and over which the mud and water stood waist deep. Meanwhile the ships opened on the fortifications. The Koreans did not wait to accept the land attack, but abandoned everything to our men, who dismantled the works and spiked the guns. A reconnaissance showed a second line of fortifications, with a granite work surrounded by a rampart. All of the fortifications encountered had been well planned, but the Koreans seemed to lack men to fight in them, or else their courage was gone.

   Finding a road practicable for artillery, Commander Kimberly, in charge of the land party, brought forward a 12 pound Dahlgren gun and planted it opposite the granite fort. A strong line of pickets was stationed as outposts, and night coming on the troops bivouacked on their line ready for an early morning attack. Next day was Sunday, and at daylight the Monocacy opened her guns upon the second Korean line, while the marines advanced as before. Although Korean troops on the surrounding heights annoyed Commander Kimberly's men by long range musketry firing, there was so little opposition that they quickly carried the fort and dismantled it, as they had done with the first. The garrison retreated without firing a shot and joined their main body at the citadel, a lofty position decorated with flags and apparently occupied with the flower of the Korean soldiery, led by their commander-in-chief. Commander Kimberly left two companies of marines with four howitzers at the granite fort to cover retreat in case his assault on the citadel should fail. A similar force was stationed on the rear of the citadel, and the remainder moved directly on the fort, preceded by skirmishers.

   The Americans had shown their customary pluck in landing on a swampy shore and hauling the guns through the mire. They now marched to the attack on the lofty citadel with equal grit and valor. The heavy guns were rolled up the steep slopes and planted within range. The storming column moved up near the crest of the hill and halted a moment to take breath. After a short rest the party leaped from their shelter and made a tremendous rush for the fort, from which the Koreans opened a furious fire. But as usual their artillery practice was bad, and their small arms had no effect, owing to their poor construction. The daring Americans rushed on until they reached the parapet, on which Lieutenant Hugh McKee of the navy leaped at a bound, followed by his men. At close quarters the Koreans, who are really brave in savage warfare, could fight. The gallant McKee was shot with a rifle ball and at the same time stabbed with a spear. The latter blow killed him.

   Several company leaders of the marines imitated McKee, and their men followed the lead. The Koreans resisted to the last, but were finally routed with great slaughter. The Americans lost three killed and six wounded.

   The fort and its walls and ditches showed the terrible effect of the vigorous shelling from the Monocacy's guns preceding the land attack. The ditches and pits and the parade ground around the center of the fort contained numerous bodies mangled by the exploding shells. In all 243 dead Koreans were buried from the citadel alone. The commander-in-chief had killed himself in chagrin at the loss of his stronghold and was found in the river below the forts with his throat cut. The second in command lay among the wounded and dead apparently a corpse, his haggard, uncovered face being upturned to the sun. He was finally lifted by the marines and placed in a trench for burial, but as he could no longer sham death in safety he set up a yell, unmistakably that of a live man. A bad wound in the thigh caused some of the appearances which helped on the ruse.

   The capture of the citadel completed the victory. It was called by the natives Sun-Fol-Mot, and on hoisting the stars and stripes over it the Americans christened it Fort Palos. The granite fort, the second one captured, was likewise christened Fort Monocacy, and the first, Marine Redoubt. In the three forts 480 guns were taken and 60 flags. More than 1,000 Koreans lost their lives, chiefly by the gunboat firing previous to the attacks of the marines.

   The expedition did not take a warlike turn a moment too soon, for the 10 days' inactivity between the attack by the Koreans and the retaliation by the navy had been passed in preparation for war. Soldiers were on the march from all parts of the peninsula concentrating on the river around Seoul.

   GEORGE L. KILMER.

John L. Sullivan.

Says He's Coming Back.

   PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 16.—John L. Sullivan said to-night: "I expect to challenge the winner of the Corbett-Fitzsimmons fight. I can get into condition by that time to enter the ring again. I never said I thought Fitzsimmons could whip Corbett."

   Sullivan was 36 years old yesterday, and to celebrate his natal day, he swore off drinking!!!

Daniel S. Lamont.

The Cabinet at Niagara

   NIAGARA FALLS, Oct. 14.—The Cabinet party consisting of secretaries Gresham, Carlisle, Smith and Postmaster General Jones, and Fourth Assistant Postmaster General Maxwell spent to-day in visiting the various attractive spots about the Falls, under the escort of Superintendent T. V. Welch of the State Reservation. Secretary Daniel Lamont and Mrs. Lamont arrived from Buffalo this afternoon and joined the party.

   After luncheon at the Cataract House a brief reception was held in the hotel parlors. Secretary Lamont left shortly after two o'clock for the East, intending to visit his mother before returning to Washington. Mrs. Lamont remains with the party, all of whom left early this evening, Secretary and Mrs. Gresham going to Chicago, the rest to Washington.

A Cortland Boy Wanted to Die.

   MARCELLUS, Oct. 17.—Richard Dickerson, aged 20, who attempted to commit suicide on Saturday night, was sufficiently recovered to be removed to his home at Cortland yesterday morning. Dickerson was employed by a lightning rod company at Marcellus and boarded at the Powell House. The doctors extracted the bullet, which almost passed through Dickerson’s body under his heart. He refuses to tell why he wanted to die.

Kill It!

(From the Syracuse Courier, Oct. 17.)

   The proposed Republican gerrymander by means of the revised Constitution, gives to each county except Fulton and Hamilton, whatever may be its population at least one Assemblyman. There are 60 counties in the State and 40 of them are counted upon as Republican.

   This would give the Republicans an unfair advantage from the start, to the disadvantage of the Democrats. The apportionment of the other members of Assembly is such as to increase the Republican advantage—as is shown by the fact that the annexed district of New York, with 116,000 population, is given two Assemblymen, while Cattaraugus county, with a population of less than 60,000, is also given two Assemblymen.

   The Senate under the proposed apportionment is to consist of 50 members, and it is determined that 115,817 votes shall be the ratio of apportionment. But in Erie and Monroe counties additional Senators are allowed for less than half that number.

   Albany county with a population of 156,000 is to have one Senator, while Monroe with a population of 181,000 is to have two. The former county is Democratic, while the latter is Republican, and hence the disadvantage to Albany county.

   The Democratic counties of New York and Kings, to secure an additional Senator must increase in population 115,817, while a Republican county must show an increase in population only half that number to secure an extra Senator.

   A more vicious plan was never conceived by any party to disfranchise a large portion of the voters of the State. The people of New York will abandon all control of public affairs if they vote to put the Legislature in the hands of one party so completely as the Republican apportionment scheme contemplates.

   The proposed gerrymander is an outrageous one and should be defeated at the polls.

PAGE FOUR—EDITORIALS.

   The charge of stealing the state senate comes with very bad grace from a party that in 1876 stole three states of the Union and then stole the Presidency. Fraud was written all over the Republican party then and the brand was burned so deep that it never has been effaced.

   The Standard's arguments against David B. Hill consist in calling him a thief and all the other vile epithets that its editor can think of. Such are the argument's used by fishmongers and people whose acquaintainship is avoided by respectable people, and should have no place in newspapers that have any claims to common decency.

   In the late constitutional convention General Jenks, Democrat, offered an amendment to allow the honored old soldiers at the Bath Soldiers' Home to vote there. The Republicans voted the amendment down. No Governor, according to Secretary of State Palmer, "ever did more for the soldiers than David B. Hill."—Syracuse Courier.

   The genial Ed. L. Adams, editor of the Marathon Independent, has been nominated for member of Assembly by the democrats of Cortland county. Mr. Adams is a gentleman in every way qualified for the position and would ably and faithfully represent the county. We only regret being unable to vote for him. If good wishes, however, count for anything we will elect him by a handsome majority.—Tully Times, Rep.

   When Hill was criticizing the Gorman bill in the senate last summer the Cortland Standard was loud in its praise of his course. The editor of the Standard evidently thought that he was going over to the Republican party and of course, he was a gentleman, a scholar and a statesman, but since he was nominated by the Democrats for Governor, he has fallen from grace and is now, nothing but a common thief, a rascal and a scalawag generally.

HERE AND THERE.

   There are now about five miles of sewer pipe laid and the work is being pushed as rapidly as rainy weather will allow. Work will be continued until the cold weather freezes the ground.

   At a meeting of the hose boys of Active Fire company No. 1 of McGrawville, last Tuesday evening, the members were very much elated over the reception of a communication from the Secretary of War, Daniel S. Lamont, inclosing a check for twenty-five dollars as a donation. This will give the boys quite a boost toward the purchase of a new hose cart. A vote of thanks was unanimously accorded to the secretary for his kindness and his name was placed on the honorary list of the company.—McGrawville Sentinel.

How We Shall Vote.

   One of the last acts of the Constitutional Convention was a resolution carrying out the caucus action on the manner of the submission of the amendments to the voters. It provides for three separate ballot boxes at each polling place, one for the Thirty-one Articles, one for the Apportionment and one for the Canals. There shall be six ballots, one for and one against each of these articles. If a majority of the votes cast on any of these are in favor, it shall be deemed carried without regard to the vote on the others. If the vote on any article is against it then the proposed article shall be deemed lost and the present one shall remain in force.