USS Ta-Kiang (1862)
Encyclopedia
USS Ta-Kiang (1862) was a 510-ton steamer was chartered by the Union Navy
during the American Civil War
.
Ta-Kiang was assigned by the Navy to be part of the Allied fleet proceeding to Japan
to enforce the opening of the Shimonoseki straits in that country, in keeping with treaties already signed with Japan.
by the shipbuilding firm of Rosevelt and Joyce -- was active in the China
trade, probably under the British flag to avoid being molested by Confederate
raiders and cruisers.
, because of the anti-foreign sentiment then prevalent among certain segments of the Japanese population who were resisting westernization
.
As an outgrowth of this hostility to aliens in the summer of 1863, a Prince of Nagato
, Mori, of the clan of Choshiu, fortified one side of the Strait of Shimonoseki to close that waterway to western commerce.
The following year, the western Treaty powers determined to open those waters once and for all. However, the only American warship then in that part of the world was the sail-powered sloop-of-war Jamestown
, which could not overcome the strong currents in the strait and thus was unable to participate in any allied expedition to open navigation to foreign shipping.
would be represented in the joint Anglo-French-Dutch force -- Robert K. Pruyn, the minister resident of the United States in Japan, and Capt. Cicero Price, the commanding officer of Jamestown, chartered Ta-Kiang from the firm Walsh, Hall, and Co., the agents for the steamer Ta-Kiang. Under the terms of the agreement, she was "to carry a landing party, and in every way to assist in the common object, but not to be under fire of the forts."
Before the joint expedition set sail, a mail steamer arrived bringing Japanese diplomats back from France
with a treaty that had stipulated, among other provisions, that the Strait of Shimonoseki would be opened within three months. Ta-Kiang's charter was cancelled when word of the treaty first arrived, but the Japanese appeared unwilling to be bound by the agreement. This intransigence left the western powers no alternative to opening hostilities with Choshiu. Accordingly, the United States government rechartered Ta-Kiang and took her over on 28 August 1864.
to the erstwhile merchantman. Price admonished Pearson to
in company with the Dutch steam sloop Djambe and arrived at the rendezvous point, Hime Shima, on the evening of 1 September. The following day, the remainder of the allied fleet arrived, "making a total of 18 sail." At 1000 on 4 September, the naval force got underway for Shimonoseki, in three columns, with Ta-Kiang bringing up the rear of the French column.
The allied ships anchored in sight of the batteries on the shores of Nagato at 1600 that afternoon and, 24 hours later, moved in closer and commenced fire on the forts. By 1730 on the first day of the engagement, all of the batteries within sight had been silenced. During the night, British sailors and marines landed and spiked the guns of one battery. The Japanese commenced the action on 6 September, opening fire on the allied ships at 0600.
During that action, Ta-Kiang towed a landing boat from the French steam sloop Dupleix, steaming close to the first battery. By noon, a mixed force of British, French, and Dutch troops had taken the batteries. The Westerners repulsed enemy counterattacks with ease; and, before nightfall, "the land forces returned to their vessels."
On 7 and 8 September, Ta-Kiang took on board 23 wounded Britons, as well as a surgeon and attendants, and ultimately returned to Yokohama
on the evening of 21 September. During the attacks on the Shimonoseki forts, Ta-Kiang had fired 18 shells from her Parrott gun "thus identifying herself in this respect with the expedition."
Union Navy
The Union Navy is the label applied to the United States Navy during the American Civil War, to contrast it from its direct opponent, the Confederate States Navy...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
Ta-Kiang was assigned by the Navy to be part of the Allied fleet proceeding to Japan
Empire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
to enforce the opening of the Shimonoseki straits in that country, in keeping with treaties already signed with Japan.
Built in New York City in 1862
Ta-Kiang (sometimes spelled Takiang and meaning “big river” in Chinese) -- an oak-hulled, screw steamer built in 1862 at New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
by the shipbuilding firm of Rosevelt and Joyce -- was active in the China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
trade, probably under the British flag to avoid being molested by Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
raiders and cruisers.
Growing pressure for the opening of Japan
In the summer of 1864, the British government chartered the ship to bring troops to Kanagawa, JapanEmpire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
, because of the anti-foreign sentiment then prevalent among certain segments of the Japanese population who were resisting westernization
Westernization
Westernization or Westernisation , also occidentalization or occidentalisation , is a process whereby societies come under or adopt Western culture in such matters as industry, technology, law, politics, economics, lifestyle, diet, language, alphabet,...
.
As an outgrowth of this hostility to aliens in the summer of 1863, a Prince of Nagato
Nagato
- Places :* Nagato, Yamaguchi, a city in Yamaguchi prefecture, Japan* Nagato, Nagano, a town in Nagano prefecture, Japan* Nagato Province, one of the old provinces of Japan- Characters :* Yuki Nagato, a character in the Haruhi Suzumiya series...
, Mori, of the clan of Choshiu, fortified one side of the Strait of Shimonoseki to close that waterway to western commerce.
The following year, the western Treaty powers determined to open those waters once and for all. However, the only American warship then in that part of the world was the sail-powered sloop-of-war Jamestown
USS Jamestown (1844)
The first USS Jamestown was a sloop in the United States Navy during the Mexican-American War and the American Civil War.Jamestown was launched in 1844 by the Gosport Navy Yard, Virginia; and commissioned there on 12 December, with Commander Robert B...
, which could not overcome the strong currents in the strait and thus was unable to participate in any allied expedition to open navigation to foreign shipping.
Chartered by the U.S. Navy
On 18 August 1864 -- so that the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
would be represented in the joint Anglo-French-Dutch force -- Robert K. Pruyn, the minister resident of the United States in Japan, and Capt. Cicero Price, the commanding officer of Jamestown, chartered Ta-Kiang from the firm Walsh, Hall, and Co., the agents for the steamer Ta-Kiang. Under the terms of the agreement, she was "to carry a landing party, and in every way to assist in the common object, but not to be under fire of the forts."
Before the joint expedition set sail, a mail steamer arrived bringing Japanese diplomats back from France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
with a treaty that had stipulated, among other provisions, that the Strait of Shimonoseki would be opened within three months. Ta-Kiang's charter was cancelled when word of the treaty first arrived, but the Japanese appeared unwilling to be bound by the agreement. This intransigence left the western powers no alternative to opening hostilities with Choshiu. Accordingly, the United States government rechartered Ta-Kiang and took her over on 28 August 1864.
Arming the Ka-Kiang
Capt. Price placed Lt. Frederick Pearson, of Jamestown, in command of the ship and also transferred 18 men -- including a surgeon -- and a 30-pounder Parrott rifleParrott rifle
The Parrott rifle was a type of muzzle loading rifled artillery weapon used extensively in the American Civil War.-Parrott Rifle:The gun was invented by Robert Parker Parrott, a West Point graduate. He resigned from the service in 1836 and became the superintendent of the West Point Foundry in Cold...
to the erstwhile merchantman. Price admonished Pearson to
- "render any and every other aid in your power to promote the common object, such as towing boats, landing men, and receiving the wounded ... if required to do so."
Attacking the Nagato batteries
On the next day, 29 August, Ta-Kiang departed YokohamaYokohama
is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...
in company with the Dutch steam sloop Djambe and arrived at the rendezvous point, Hime Shima, on the evening of 1 September. The following day, the remainder of the allied fleet arrived, "making a total of 18 sail." At 1000 on 4 September, the naval force got underway for Shimonoseki, in three columns, with Ta-Kiang bringing up the rear of the French column.
The allied ships anchored in sight of the batteries on the shores of Nagato at 1600 that afternoon and, 24 hours later, moved in closer and commenced fire on the forts. By 1730 on the first day of the engagement, all of the batteries within sight had been silenced. During the night, British sailors and marines landed and spiked the guns of one battery. The Japanese commenced the action on 6 September, opening fire on the allied ships at 0600.
During that action, Ta-Kiang towed a landing boat from the French steam sloop Dupleix, steaming close to the first battery. By noon, a mixed force of British, French, and Dutch troops had taken the batteries. The Westerners repulsed enemy counterattacks with ease; and, before nightfall, "the land forces returned to their vessels."
On 7 and 8 September, Ta-Kiang took on board 23 wounded Britons, as well as a surgeon and attendants, and ultimately returned to Yokohama
Yokohama
is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...
on the evening of 21 September. During the attacks on the Shimonoseki forts, Ta-Kiang had fired 18 shells from her Parrott gun "thus identifying herself in this respect with the expedition."