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Letters about Reconstruction

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Henderson to May 22 . This morning early the later sleepers among us were awakened by a salute of several guns. This announced the arrival of General Saigo, the commander-in-chief of the expedition. He came in the Delta, which also brought 1,200 troops. A Japanese gunboat came in at the same time, and an hour or two afterward the Shaftesbury, with 600 soldiers, raising the number to about 2,500. Three thousand are expected in all. The Delta is said to have been bought standing, with her fittings and stores, and apparently officers as well, for they are all on board, though a new captain commands her. A fine Chinese corvette, the Yang Woo, and a small gunboat, have also come in, bringing three Chinese mandarins from Taiwanfoo to visit the Japanese commander-in-chief. With the four Japanese vessels and Her Majesty’s steamship Hornet, which have been here for some days, there are, therefore, ten steamers anchored together in the bay. A small party of troops bivouacked last night in the mountains, about four miles away. Early this afternoon two men were seen coming in wounded. At the same time about one hundred men hurried off to take part in the fighting. They were in irregular detachments, apparently without any officers. They went along at a half run as eager and delighted as possible. Many of them were carrying their two-handed swords as well as rifles. The swords are awkward enough for scrambling through the bush; but the Japanese cannot bear to leave them behind, hoping that some time or other they may come up with the savages. If they do there will be fearful work. It is a common sight to see men employing their leisure moments in sharpening and re-sharpening their sabers or sword-bayonets. They think breech-loaders are excellent weapons for fighting at a distance, but they have a most blood-thirsty longing for hand-to-hand work, June 3, 1874

From Henderson
To May 22 . This morning early the later sleepers among us were awakened by a salute of several guns. This announced the arrival of General Saigo, the commander-in-chief of the expedition. He came in the Delta, which also brought 1,200 troops. A Japanese gunboat came in at the same time, and an hour or two afterward the Shaftesbury, with 600 soldiers, raising the number to about 2,500. Three thousand are expected in all. The Delta is said to have been bought standing, with her fittings and stores, and apparently officers as well, for they are all on board, though a new captain commands her. A fine Chinese corvette, the Yang Woo, and a small gunboat, have also come in, bringing three Chinese mandarins from Taiwanfoo to visit the Japanese commander-in-chief. With the four Japanese vessels and Her Majesty’s steamship Hornet, which have been here for some days, there are, therefore, ten steamers anchored together in the bay. A small party of troops bivouacked last night in the mountains, about four miles away. Early this afternoon two men were seen coming in wounded. At the same time about one hundred men hurried off to take part in the fighting. They were in irregular detachments, apparently without any officers. They went along at a half run as eager and delighted as possible. Many of them were carrying their two-handed swords as well as rifles. The swords are awkward enough for scrambling through the bush; but the Japanese cannot bear to leave them behind, hoping that some time or other they may come up with the savages. If they do there will be fearful work. It is a common sight to see men employing their leisure moments in sharpening and re-sharpening their sabers or sword-bayonets. They think breech-loaders are excellent weapons for fighting at a distance, but they have a most blood-thirsty longing for hand-to-hand work
June 3, 1874

No. 156. Mr. Henderson to Mr. Davis. United States Consulate, Amoy, June 3, 1874. (Received July 20.) No. 31.] Sir: Since sending my dispatch No. 30, with reference to the…

19th CenturyDiplomacyReconstruction