The General Sherman incident () was the destruction in 1866 of the American merchant ship SS General Sherman in the Taedong River during an unsuccessful and illegal attempt by the ship's crew to open up trade with the isolationist Joseon dynasty of Korea. With the rapid increase in Western imperialism in Asia during the 19th century, Asian nations came under increasing pressure to end their isolationist policies. Despite China and Japan being forcibly opened to foreign trade by Western powers, Korea maintained its isolationism.

The General Sherman purchased stocks of cotton textiles, tinware, mirrors and glassware from Tianjin before sailing up the Taedong River. Korean officials informed the ship's captain that he was not allowed to trade in Korea; these instructions were ignored. Eventually, Regent Daewongun, believing the General Sherman to be a French Navy warship on a punitive mission to avenge the deaths of Catholic priests in Korea, ordered Pyongan Province governor Bak Gyusu to inform the crew that if they did not leave Korean waters they would be executed.

The crew of the General Sherman then dispatched a dinghy to forage, which took Korean official Yi Hyon-ik hostage. Bak attempted to negotiate for his release, while a crew of civilian onlookers gathered around the General Sherman, attacking the merchant ship in anger. The General Sherman responded by firing its cannons against the civilians onshore. The Koreans then dispatched troops and an improvised warship to destroy the General Sherman, but these efforts were repulsed. Eventually, waves of fire ships set the merchantman on fire.

The crew of the General Sherman jumped off the ship and were killed by enraged civilians on the shore. Korean officials did not inform the U.S. government of the incident and evaded inquiries from American officials. Five years later in 1871, the United States dispatched a military expedition to Korea, in part to ascertain the fate of the General Sherman. After being ambushed, the expeditionary force captured and occupied several Korean forts after a brief battle. The Korean government eventually ended its isolationism in the Japan–Korea Treaty of 1876.

Background

thumb|left|250px|An illustration of the [[French expedition to Korea]]

The region of Korea had been under the control of the Joseon dynasty since 1392. During the period of Joseon control, Korea, known in the West as the "Hermit Kingdom", had adopted several isolationist policies in response to Manchu and Japanese invasions. These policies remained in place during the 19th century, a period which saw the rapid increase in Western imperialism in Asia, including the Opium Wars which led to the opening of Qing China to foreign trade.

Increasing Western influence in Asia saw Christian missionaries travel to the region to proselytize, which led them into conflict with various Asian governments over the tensions caused by the introduction of Christianity. In China, the activities of Western missionaries indirectly led to the Taiping Rebellion, as Christian rebels led by Hong Xiuquan revolted against the Manchu-ruled Qing government. In response to these developments and what Joseon royalty perceived as a subversive religion, regent Heungseon Daewongun initiated a series of persecutions of Korean Christians in 1866 in which 8,000 were killed, including nine French missionaries. In response, the French had threatened to dispatch an expedition to Korea.

Prior to travelling to Korea, the ship's crew purchased stocks of cotton textiles, tinware, mirrors and glassware from British trading firm Messrs. Meadows and Co. in Tianjin and travelled to Yantai before departing for Korean waters on August 9, 1866. Entering the Taedong River on August 16, the crew made frequent stops for Thomas to hand out Bibles to Korean villagers. Korean officials repeatedly informed Page that the ship was not allowed to trade in Korea, which were ignored by the crew.

After receiving reports of the General Sherman and its voyage, Daewongun believed the merchantman to be a French Navy warship on a punitive mission to avenge the deaths of Catholic priests in Korea. He ordered governor of Pyongan Bak Gyusu to inform the crew that if they did not leave they would be killed. In the meantime, the General Sherman ran aground on the river when the tide receded, having misjudged the depth of the river due to a temporary rain swell. On August 27, the crew dispatched a dinghy to forage, which was intercepted by a junk carrying Korean official Yi Hyon-ik, a subordinate of Bak. The crew of the General Sherman took the occupants of the junk hostage. Bak attempted to negotiate for their release, with the crew responding by demanding a ransom of rice, gold, silver, and ginseng for the release of the hostages.

After the first attack failed, the Koreans then roped together three small boats loaded with firewood, saltpeter, and sulfur, lighting them on fire, and sent them drifting towards the General Sherman. Though the first trio of fire ships missed their target and a second wave bounced off the General Sherman, the third wave set the merchantman on fire. The crew and passengers of the General Sherman abandoned the ship but were killed by enraged civilian onlookers on the shore. The death of Thomas, which supposedly occurred while attempting to hand a Bible to his killer, was later portrayed as an act of martyrdom. The cannons of the General Sherman were salvaged by the Korean government, which celebrated its successful resolution of the incident.

Legacy

According to official North Korean accounts, Kim Ŭngu, the great-grandfather of Kim Il Sung, lead a group of volunteers to attack the USS General Sherman. The story states that they sank the ship by burning it with firewood, and that a second ship, the Shenandoah, was sent by the United States before also being destroyed by Kim. Although there is no historical evidence that Kim Ŭngu was actually involved in the event, he is still considered a national hero in North Korea and is remembered as the revolutionary founder of the Kim dynasty.

See also

  • Perry Expedition, similar event in Japan

References

Further reading

  • Richard F. Grimmett, Instances of Use of United States Armed Forces Abroad 1798 – 2004, Congressional Research Service report RL30172 Naval Historical Center, 2004.
  • James A. Field, Jr., History of United States Naval Operations: Korea – Naval Historical Center.
  • Curtis A. Utz, Assault from the Sea — The Amphibious Landing at Inchon The U.S. Navy in the Modern World Series No. 2.
  • The Hermit Kingdom and the General Sherman Incident
  • USS General Sherman Incident
  • Sinking of General Sherman a US Marine Merchant ship
  • The General Sherman Incident of 1866 and Rev. Thomas' Martyrdom
  • Some Comments on "The General Sherman Incident of 1866 and Rev. Thomas' Martyrdom."
  • USS General Sherman (1864–1865, "Tinclad" # 60)
  • Ardent Patriot Kim Ung U
  • Hereditary Succession in North Korea: Lessons of the Past