I know this is usually reserved for “Canadian History” but there have been a couple of topics I’ve wanted to research and decided this forum is the platform I will do the research for. I hope you enjoy learning more about these topics.
The United States involvement in the Korean War of the 1950s is well known, but far less familiar is an earlier U.S. expedition to Korea, which erupted into conflict in 1871.
Tensions had been building since 1866, when the merchant ship General Sherman went missing while visiting Korea. American naval commanders, meanwhile, believed their heavily armed warships should be allowed to enter Korean waters and trade freely, despite repeated Korean requests to respect their sovereignty.
In 1871, the United States sent Frederick F. Low, former Congressman and Governor of California, then serving as ambassador to China, to Korea. Low was tasked with investigating the General Sherman’s disappearance and encouraging Korean officials to open trade relations.
Low was accompanied by the Navy’s Asiatic Squadron, consisting of 546 sailors and 105 Marines, along with the frigate USS Colorado (used as the command ship), three sloops-of-war (USS Alaska, USS Palos, USS Benicia), and a gunboat (USS Monocacy).
Initial contact with the Koreans proved tense. When Low inquired about the General Sherman, Korean officials were hesitant to discuss the matter. Low assured them the squadron meant no harm, but the Joseon government refused to allow foreign ships on the Han River, which led to Hanyang (modern-day Seoul). Ignoring the restriction, the U.S. squadron sailed up the river.
On June 1, Korean shore batteries fired on two American warships, including the USS Palos. The poorly aimed barrage caused minimal damage. Low demanded a formal apology, but the Koreans responded by blaming the Americans for entering their territorial waters unlawfully, while explaining that the General Sherman had suffered a similar fate years earlier.
The General Sherman incident had been violent: after ignoring trade restrictions, its crew ran the ship aground, took a Korean official hostage, and faced attacks from local civilians. Koreans set fire to the ship using fireships, killing the crew when they abandoned the vessel.
Attempts at diplomacy failed. The governor of Ganghwa sent Low three cows, fifty chickens, and a thousand eggs—gifts Low dismissed as “few worthless articles.” With no apology forthcoming and escalating tensions, the situation quickly turned into a military conflict.
On June 10, 1871, 650 American sailors and Marines landed on Ganghwa Island. They quickly overran the Choji Garrison and the Deokjin Garrison, lightly defended by Korean troops with outdated weapons. The Americans found the Deokjin Fort abandoned, dismantled it, and advanced toward the Gwangseong Citadel, where Korean forces had regrouped.
As the Americans approached, Korean troops attempted flanking attacks but were repelled by strategically placed artillery and gunfire from the USS Monocacy. When the fire lifted, American forces stormed the citadel under the leadership of Lieutenant Hugh McKee of the USS Colorado.
The Korean defenders, called the “Tiger Hunters” and led by General Eo Jae-yeon (who had fought French forces in 1866), wielded slow-loading matchlocks, while the Americans carried Remington carbines. McKee was mortally wounded in the assault. Several Americans—including William F. Lukes, Alexander McKenzie, Samuel F. Rogers, and William Troy—received the Medal of Honor for attempting to save him. Frederick Franklin assumed command of McKee’s company, and Private James Dougherty killed General Eo. In total, fifteen Americans earned Medals of Honor, including Cyrus Hayden, a ship’s carpenter, for raising the U.S. flag under heavy fire.
The battle lasted only fifteen minutes, but the cost was significant: 243 Koreans killed, compared to 10 Americans killed (including McKee, Seaman Seth Allen, and Marine Private Denis Hanrahan). Despite the losses, the Koreans refused to negotiate. The regent Daewongun reinforced the policy of isolationism, issuing a national proclamation against foreign appeasement.
With reinforcements approaching and modern weapons being deployed by Korean forces, the U.S. fleet departed for China on July 3, 1871.
The conflict ultimately failed to achieve American objectives, but it foreshadowed Korea’s eventual opening to foreign powers. In 1876, following threats from Japanese warships, Korea signed a trade treaty with Japan. Later, in 1882, the United States and Korea negotiated a treaty establishing mutual friendship and promising assistance in case of attack. This agreement remained in effect until Japan annexed Korea in 1910.
johnmilner.ca 