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United States expedition to Korea (1871)

Korean Expedition
Ganghwa 3-edit.jpg
American forces after capturing the Deokjin Fort during the Battle of Ganghwa in 1871
Date 1 June–3 July 1871
Location Ganghwa Island, Joseon
(present-day South Korea)
Result

American military victory but diplomatic failure

Belligerents
 United States Flag of the king of Joseon.svg Joseon
Commanders and leaders
United States John Rodgers
United States Winfield Schley
Flag of the king of Joseon.svg Eo Jae-yeon 
Strength
Land:
650 sailors and
Marine infantry
Sea:
5 warships
Land:
300 infantry
40 artillery pieces
6 forts
4 shore batteries
Casualties and losses
3 killed
10 wounded
1 gunboat damaged
243 killed
20 captured
40 artillery pieces captured
5 forts destroyed
1 fort damaged
Dozens of small cannons captured
4 shore batteries destroyed
United States expedition to Korea
Hangul 신미양요
Hanja 辛未洋擾
Revised Romanization Shinmiyangyo
McCune–Reischauer Shinmiyangyo

American military victory but diplomatic failure

The United States expedition to Korea, the Shinmiyangyo, or simply the Korean Expedition, in 1871, was the first American military action in Korea.

It took place predominantly on and around the Korean island of Ganghwa. The reason for the presence of the American land and naval force in Korea was to support an American diplomatic delegation sent to establish trade and political relations with the peninsular nation, to ascertain the fate of the merchant ship General Sherman, and to establish a treaty assuring aid for shipwrecked sailors. When Korean shore batteries attacked two American warships on 1 June, a punitive expedition was launched 10 days later after the commanding American admiral failed to receive an official apology from the Koreans. The isolationist nature of the Joseon Dynasty government and the assertiveness of the Americans led to a misunderstanding between the two parties that changed a diplomatic expedition into an armed conflict. On 10 June, about 650 Americans landed and captured several forts, killing over 200 Korean troops with a loss of only three American dead. Korea continued to refuse to negotiate with the United States until 1882.

The expedition consisted of about 650 men, over 500 sailors and 100 Marines, as well as five warships:Colorado, Alaska, Palos, Monocacy, and Benicia. Embarked aboard Colorado was Rear Admiral John Rodgers, also Frederick F. Low, the United States Ambassador to China. The Korean forces, known as "Tiger Hunters", were led by General Eo Jae-yeon (Hangul; 어재연 Hanja; 魚在淵).


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