SANDFORD, United States Consul to Mr. Burling ame, October 30, 1866
Mr. Sandford to Mr. Burling ame.
Sir: I have the honor to inform you that the French fleet returned from Corea, October 3, and on the 4th it was reported here that the American schooner General Sherman had been wrecked, and all on board murdered by the natives. I immediately wrote to the admiral, requesting him to furnish me with what information he could, to which he replied:
“In reply to the letter which you have done me the honor of writing, I can do no better than send you the exact copy of a note that was sent me by Rev. P.Ridel, apostolic missionary: ‘On the 30th of September we were at anchor near Woody island, on the coast of Corea. During the night a Corean boat, with two natives on board, approached the Deroulede. Having recognized in one of them one of the sailors who had accompanied me in the spring on the voyage from Corea to Cheefoo, I succeeded in inducing them to come on board. Among other information, they told me that about the middle of the 7th moon, (about the end of the month of August,) a small vessel from the country of the West had appeared on the coast of Corea, in the province of Phienganso, which is in the extreme northwest of the kingdom. She was endeavoring to ascend the river, and to reach the city of Phiengiang, capital of this province, and had already arrived almost off this city, when she grounded on a sand-bank. The governor at once sent to the King’s father for instructions, whether he should put to death those on board, or should burn them and the vessel together. The King’s father replied, to burn the vessel and all on board. This barbarous order was executed.’ Such, sir, is the only information bearing at all upon the matters to which you allude, that has reached me.”
The General Sherman left here on the 9th of August; she called for water: took Mr. George Hogarth (British subject) as supercargo, and Rev. Mr. Thomas (British) as interpreter. The owner, W. B. Preston, (American) also went with them. Page, captain. Will son, chief mate, (both Americans.) The crew consisted of from 15 to 20, (Malays and Chinese.) Cargo, cotton goods, glass, tin plates, &c, &c. On October 7th, two Chinese junks arrived from Corea and made the following reports respecting the wreck and burning of a foreign schooner, viz: The captain of one of them was engaged by Mr. Thomas to pilot the schooner up the river Ping Yangso, as he was acquainted with him previously: he yielded, and took her up four tides. By this time the alarm had spread amongst the natives, they taking her for a pirate, and would not believe the pilot when he told them she was a peaceful trader.(The General Sherman was heavily armed.) All trade was stopped, and the natives began to collect in large numbers, when his friends on board the junk becoming alarmed, refused to allow him to go any further, saying that if he was killed, they would have no face to return to Yeutai. He, therefore, left them opposite to Little Ping Yangso, about half way up the river. They were still determined to proceed; this was about the middle of the 8th moon. You will notice here a disagreement between the dates given by the French missionary and this man. However, the other junk, it seems, did not reach Corea. On its nearing the coast, a junk put off, and warned them not to go in, as a foreign vessel had been wrecked opposite Ping Yangso, and the vessel, with all hands, burnt, on which the junkreturned to Yeutai.
On the night of the 27th instant, the two French missionaries, who had been concealed in the mountains in Corea, reached this place. They state that a foreign vessel was wrecked opposite Ping Yangso; after some fighting between the natives and those on board the schooner, the natives succeeded by strategy in drawing the men on shore, when they were surrounded, and their hands tied behind their backs. They were then made to kneel down on the shore, and were decapitated. The missionaries report there were 20 thus put to death.
I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,