SHIMONOSEKI--NAVAL OPERATIONS
TO my great satisfaction I was appointed interpreter to Admiral Küper,
and, packing up a few necessaries, embarked on board the "Euryalus." I
was messed in the ward room, and as there was no cabin available, slept
on a sofa. The officers were a very pleasant set of fellows; among them
I especially remember Tracey and Maclear, both of them now
post-captains. The former is a very distinguished officer, but what
particularly attracted me towards him was his love of books, and his
wide knowledge of modern languages, acquired by dint of sheer
perseverance amid all the noisy distractions of life on board ship.
The "Coquette" was sent off to Nagasaki to bring up Sir Rutherford's
stepson, Fred. Lowder, to be additional interpreter. The only other
civilian on board the flagship was Felix Beato, the well-known
photographer, who, making his first start in life with a camera in the
Crimean war, had also accompanied the Anglo-French expedition to North
China in 1859, and had subsequently settled in Japan, where his social
qualities had gained him many friends. My teacher Nakazawa had been
secretly taken away from me by the Tycoon's government as a punishment
for having accompanied me on the visit to Himéshima; many years
afterwards I was made acquainted with the treachery of the foreigner who
had denounced him to the Commissioners for Foreign Affairs. But Willis
lent me his Japanese instructor and pupil in medicine, Hayashi Bokuan,
and I was able to make shift with this faithful man, though as a scholar
he was greatly inferior to Nakazawa.
The English squadron consisted of the flagship "Euryalus," 35, commanded
by Captain Alexander; the corvettes "Tartar," 21, Captain Hayes;
"Barrosa," 21, Captain W. M. Dowell; the two-decker "Conqueror," 48,
Captain Luard; the paddle-sloop "Leopard," 18, Captain Leckie; the
paddle-sloop "Argus," 6, Commander Moresby; the "Coquette," 14,
Commander Roe; and gunboat "Bouncer," 2, Lieutenant Holder. The French
frigate "Sémiramis," 35, bearing the broad pennon of Admiral Jaurés, and
the American chartered steamer "Takiang," carrying a Parrot gun and its
crew from the United States corvette "Jamestown," under the command of
Lieutenant Pearson, accompanied us. The French corvette "Dupleix," 10,
and despatch boat "Tancrède," 4, with the Dutch corvettes "Metalen
Kruis," 16, Captain de Man; "Djambi," 16, Captain van Rees; "Amsterdam,"
8; and "Medusa," 16, Captain de Casembroot, left the bay of Kanagawa on
the 28th August, and the remainder of the ships on the following day. We
had calm weather and a smooth sea on the way down, sighting the
south-west corner of Shikoku on the 1st September. About 5 p.m. we fell
in with the "Perseus," 17, Commander Kingston, towing a collier, and
bringing the Admiral's mail. The "Perseus" had met Commander Buckle in
the "Cormorant" on his way to Shanghai for the mail, who, having started
from Yokohama about the time of the return of the Japanese embassy,
reported that the expedition was indefinitely postponed; she had
therefore cast off the collier and steamed away at full speed for
Yokohama, but falling a little later in with the "Coquette" on her way
to Nagasaki, learnt a very different tale, and turning round, had picked
up the collier again and brought her on. On the following day we reached
Himéshima and anchored a little after noon; here we found the "Djambi"
and "Metalen Kruis." Shortly afterwards the "Medusa" and the three
French ships appeared, and by midnight every ship of the allied squadron
had arrived. We had still to wait for the "Coquette," and either the
"Cormorant" or "Osprey."
In the afternoon the Admiral, Captain Alexander, with other officers,
went ashore for a walk, and I acted as their guide. The poor village
mayor made his appearance in a great state of alarm. He was indeed in an
uncomfortable position, uncertain of the disposition of the strangers,
and sure of punishment from his own countrymen if he manifested too
great friendliness towards us. He promised, however, to send us off some
fish, "quite privately," but was positive that he could sell no
bullocks. He had despatched a messenger to Kitsuki to inquire whether
the islanders might hold intercourse with the squadron and furnish us
with what supplies they had.
During the night we took in 150 tons of coal, and the 3rd of September
was spent by the rest of our squadron in replenishing their bunkers. In
the afternoon I went ashore to the mayor's house, where I found three of
the garrison from Kitsuki. They were very reticent, not to say sulky,
and only one of them, who was evidently afraid of his companions, could
be induced to open his mouth. It was a grand sight to see the master of
the collier and his wife parading along the beach with a couple of dirty
little village urchins running ahead of them. The common people were
friendly enough, except when the eyes of the two-sworded men were upon
them.
On the 4th September we weighed anchor at nine o'clock and proceeded
towards the straits of Shimonoséki, the eight British ships in the
centre, with "Euryalus" leading, the French squadron and the "Takiang"
in a line on the left, and the four Dutch vessels on the right. It was a
beautiful show as the allied squadrons steamed in the consciousness of
irresistible strength calmly across the unruffled surface of this inland
sea, which lay before us like a glassy mirror in its framework of blue
hills. Towards half past three we anchored at a distance of about two
miles from the mouth of the straits, and prepared for action. Everything
was in readiness by the time we had got half-way through our dinner, but
to the disappointment of the more eager spirits, we remained where we
were without firing a shot. Every one was naturally very anxious that no
new complication should arise to delay the longed-for encounter with the
enemy. Early on the following morning two Chôshiû men, common soldiers,
came on board to inquire why all these men-of-war had come to the
straits, but the Admiral refused to hold any parley with men of
evidently inferior rank, and they were told to return on shore at once.
One of them told me very innocently that if we intended to go through he
must go on shore to make preparations for us, and when I asked what
preparation, he said "for fighting."
I was then sent in a boat to overhaul a couple of junks that in the
meanwhile had been stopped as they were entering the straits. One was
the "Isé Maru," of Matsuyama in Iyo, going to load coals at Hirado, the
other belonged to Kurumé in Chikugo, and was returning from Ozaka with a
miscellaneous cargo. As they did not belong to the enemy we let them go.
About two p.m. the two men who had previously visited the ship came on
board again to announce the arrival of a _bugiô_ or commissioner of some
sort, accompanied by Inouyé Bunda (he had now laid aside his alias of
Shiji). But signals had already been made to the captains to take up the
positions allotted to them for shelling the batteries, and when my
friend Inouyé and his companion reached the flagship the only answer
they received to their request that hostilities might be deferred with a
view to negotiation was that the time for a peaceable arrangement had
passed.
We went into action at ten minutes past four. The "Barrosa," "Tartar,"
"Djambi," "Metalen Kruis," "Leopard," and "Dupleix" moved along the
southern coast of the funnel-shaped entrance to the strait, and took up
their station in front of Tanoura, as shown in the annexed plan, while a
light squadron consisting of the "Perseus," "Medusa," "Tancrède,"
"Coquette," and "Bouncer" passed along the northern shore, the
"Amsterdam" and "Argus" being held in reserve. The "Euryalus,"
"Sémiramis," "Conqueror," and "Takiang" anchored out of range of the
enemy's batteries, at a distance of about 2500 yards from the central
cluster at Maeda mura, and consequently near enough to reach them with
our 110-pounder breech-loading Armstrong gun on the forecastle. The
first shot was fired from the "Euryalus," and the whole of the Tanoura
squadron then followed her example. The light squadron speedily silenced
the three-gun battery on Kushi Saki Point, but not before it had managed
to pitch a shot pretty near the British flagship. Then the "Sémiramis,"
which had been occupied in getting springs on her cable, opened fire
from her quarter-deck guns with terrible effect, scarcely a shot falling
short. The "Takiang" did her best with her single gun, and the
"Conqueror" fired three shells, one of which burst beautifully among the
great cluster of batteries. The "Euryalus" fired only sixteen rounds
between 4.10 and 5.10 p.m. from her 110-pounder, which was pretty good
work, considering that the vent piece got jammed once and a considerable
time was lost in digging it out with handspikes. Another time the vent
piece was blown up into the fore-top owing to its not having been
screwed in tightly enough. The six vessels anchored south were soon
engaged in a sharp conflict with the batteries opposite, while the light
squadron, having silenced the batteries on the north, came to their aid,
enfilading the 4, 7, and 9-gun batteries. The furthest shot fired from
the "Euryalus" was at 4800 yards, and it went plump into a battery.
[Illustration: THE STRAITS OF SHIMONOSEKI]
By 5.10 the principal batteries had been silenced, and a signal was made
to discontinue firing. A fire now burst out among the buildings in the
Maeda mura batteries and a magazine exploded, making the third "blow-up"
during the afternoon. We continued firing a shot now and then up to six
o'clock. The quarter-deck 40-pounder Armstrongs were fired once only, as
their range proved to be too short, and none of the smooth-bore guns on
the main deck were brought into action, to the great disappointment of
the bluejackets, who had probably not forgotten the slaughter made
amongst their comrades at Kagoshima, and burned to avenge it. It must be
admitted that the Japanese fought well and with great persistence, for I
attach no value to the story that was told that the gunners were only
allowed to fire once, and were then replaced by fresh men. At first many
of our shot fell short, but when the range was found, they struck the
batteries every moment, as we could see by the clouds of dust that were
knocked up. After the signal to discontinue firing had been made,
Kingston of the "Perseus" and De Casembroot of the "Medusa" landed and
spiked fourteen guns in the Maeda mura batteries. At the small battery
on Kushi Saki Point two out of the three guns had been dismounted by our
fire. The entire casualties on our side this first day were six men
wounded in the "Tartar," which bore the brunt of the fire.
Early on the following morning one of the Maeda mura batteries re-opened
fire on the squadron anchored off Tanoura, but was replied to with such
effect that it was speedily silenced, and the barrack behind was set on
fire. The "Dupleix" lost two killed and two wounded, while the first
lieutenant of the "Tartar" was struck by a round shot on the posteriors
and severely wounded. He recovered, however, contrary to the
expectations of the surgeons. I slept through the noise, but was woke by
somebody with a message that I had to land with Captain Alexander, who
was to command the small-arms party of the "Euryalus," 200 strong. From
the "Conqueror" there landed the battalion of 450 marines under Colonel
Suther, besides her own complement of 100, and some bluejackets, small
detachments of marines being added from the other ships of our squadron.
The French landed 350, and the Dutch 200. Another calculation showed
that 1900 men were put ashore, of whom we furnished 1400.
We rowed straight for the nearest land, followed by a string of cutters
and pinnaces so full of men that there was only just room to work the
oars, and got on shore at nine o'clock exactly. The task assigned to
Captain Alexander's party was to scale a bluff immediately to the east
of the Maeda mura batteries, and take a one-gun battery. It was a stiff
pull up the steep grassy hill, but up went the bluejackets pell-mell, as
if they were out on a picnic, every man for himself. On climbing over
the earthwork we found that the gun had been either carried off or
concealed. There were a score or so of the enemy on the platform, who
retreated as soon as the first of our people showed his nose above the
parapet, but they kept up a dropping fire from the other side of the
hill. Here one of our men received a bullet wound in the leg, and a
second was accidentally shot through the body by the sailor immediately
behind him. Passing through the battery, we clambered up the hill
behind, through a tangled brake of ferns and creepers. The heat was
intense. It was a difficult job to keep one's footing on the narrow path
cut through the slippery grass. Our bluejackets were very eager to get
at the enemy, but not a single one was to be seen. Descending the other
side of the hill, we at last found ourselves in a sort of covered way,
which ran along the side of a narrow valley. It was reported that the
enemy were posted further up the valley in considerable numbers, but
instead of pursuing them we turned to the left along the covered way,
which brought us down past a magazine into the central battery of the
principal group. It turned out afterwards to be a fortunate
counter-march, for if we had proceeded in the other direction we should
have stumbled on a stockade defended by three field guns, which would
have played "Old Harry" with our small force.
The first battery we entered was already in the possession of the French
landing party and some of our marines, who, having disembarked below the
bluff, had marched along the beach, meeting with no opposition. This
work was of earth, having a parapet about twenty feet wide, armed along
the edge with a chevaux-de-frise of pointed bamboo stakes. In battery
No. 7 the guns were mounted en barbette, on carriages with enormous
wheels, and worked on pivots. They were of bronze, very long, and threw
a 32-pound shot, though marked as 24's. They bore a Japanese date
corresponding to 1854, and had evidently been cast in Yedo. Besides
these, there was a short 32-pounder, and on the other side of a
traverse, containing a small magazine, was a single 10-inch gun, also of
bronze. We upset them all, broke up the carriages, threw the shot and
shell into the sea, burned the powder, and even dragged a couple of guns
down on to the beach. This occupied us till three or four o'clock in the
afternoon. During this time our men were perpetually firing musketry at
the enemy on the hill, who every now and then showed themselves to give
us a shot or two. In the 9-gun battery were a couple of heavy 11-inch
bronze guns. Afterwards we proceeded to the next battery, which was
almost _à fleur d' eau_. It was divided into two by a traverse
containing a magazine, on one side of which were one 10-inch howitzer,
two 32-pounders, and one 24-pounder; on the other side were the same
number, with the addition of a single 24-pounder. These likewise were
overturned, and the carriages and ammunition disposed of as before. The
Japanese field battery up the valley, which had been advanced some
little way from the stockade along a path leading towards Maeda mura,
Dannoura and Shimonoséki annoyed us considerably during this operation,
firing shells over us and at long ranges into the sea, while their
musketeers kept up a pretty constant fire, though no one was touched on
our side. Part of our men were told off to keep them in check, but our
aim was not much better than that of the enemy. The great thing in war,
until you come to close quarters, seems to be to make as much noise as
you can to put your foes in a funk, or in other words to demoralize
them. You can't do much harm, and it was laughable to see how many of
our men ducked to avoid the shot, and I confess I followed their example
until reason came to my aid.
The "Medusa" moved up and threw a few shells in among them, while the
"Perseus," "Amsterdam," and "Argus" fired over the hill from their
station before Tanoura. This quieted the zeal of our warrior foes for a
while, and we returned to the first battery we had dismantled, for the
men to have their dinners. Crowdy of the Engineers, McBean the
assistant-surgeon of the flagship and I divided a loaf of bread and a
tin of sardines, which we opened with Crowdy's sword. There were no
knives or forks handy, but that did not hinder us from satisfying our
well-earned appetite as we sat on the steps of the magazine in the
traverse. After dinner we helped the French to overturn the guns in
their battery, which were four in number, very long 32-pounders, mounted
on field carriages. The enemy still continued annoying us from their
position up the valley, while some of our men kept up a fitful musketry
fire in reply, without much damage on either side.
The afternoon being already far advanced, the signal to re-embark was
made from the "Euryalus," and the French and Dutch detachments, some of
the marine detachment, and the "Conqueror's" small-arms men, were
already in their boats, when about six o'clock we saw Colonel Suther's
battalion of marines returning from the Maeda mura 15-gun battery
through a heavy fire from the Japanese. The Japanese on perceiving them
threw a round shot in among them, but without doing any harm; our men
replied, and for fifteen minutes there was nothing but ping, ping, ping
on both sides. At last the Colonel came up to Captain Alexander and
said:--"Where are these men who are annoying us. I've enough men to take
any battery." "All right," replied Alexander, "I'll take the left side
of the valley and you the right." So the marines clambered up into the
French battery (the eastern-most one) and proceeded up the covered way,
while the "Conqueror's" men disembarked again, and the advance
commenced. Beato and I stuck close to Alexander, and followed the
bluejackets across the paddyfields by the narrow "bunds," and then along
the path on the western side of the valley. How the bluejackets shouted
and cheered, each man running on by himself, now stopping to take aim at
an enemy from behind one of the pine trees that lined the edge of the
road, and then on again. There was no order or discipline. Some of them
wasted their ammunition on imaginary foes on the hillsides. I passed
several wounded men as I went up, some seriously hurt, and the corpse of
a sailor who had been killed by an arrow.
At last we reached the battery, whence the gunners had been driven by
our fire, dismounted the guns and threw them into the paddyfield close
by, after destroying the carriages. Here Alexander was wounded by a ball
which passed through the ankle-joint of his right foot, and he had to be
carried to the rear on a stretcher. From this point the valley
contracted rapidly, while immediately in front of us was a stockaded
barrack into which most of the Japanese retreated, turning back
repeatedly to fire. But I saw others in black armour and white surcoats
retreating with great rapidity along the road to the left. Lieutenant
Edwards and Crowdy of the Engineers were ahead with a middy named D. G.
Boyes, who carried the colours most gallantly; he afterwards received
the V.C. for conduct very plucky in one so young. When I got up to the
front of the stockade there were three or four dead Japanese lying about
and one of our men, shot through the heart. He presented a most ghastly
sight as he lay there, getting visibly bluer and bluer, without any
exterior signs of blood to show how he had come by his death. Having
directed some of the men to put his corpse into a huge oblong basket
which was on the ground close by and carry him off, I passed on into the
stockade whence the Japanese had already fled. In retiring they had set
fire to some houses close to the magazine, with the amiable intention of
blowing us up, but the train was discovered and the explosion prevented.
After ranging over the whole place and removing whatever was worth
carrying off as trophies, such as armour, bows and arrows, spears and
swords, and bayonets bearing a foreign maker's name, we set fire to the
buildings and retired in good order. The loss of the enemy was about
twenty killed, but they had carried off all their wounded. We had five
killed and thirteen or fourteen wounded, two mortally. What the marine
battalion was doing all this time I cannot say, for the excitement about
what was going on ahead left me no disposition to look elsewhere, but I
rather think that having marched along the covered way with great
steadiness they managed to arrive just as the more active and impetuous
"jacks" had finished the business. And no blame to them either for going
about their work in a business-like manner. If we had met with a check
in our heedless, headlong advance, the marines would have saved us from
destruction. It was lucky for us that the skirmish terminated as it did,
for our loss in small-arms' men would have been much greater if the
Japanese had been strong enough to stand to their guns, or had posted
marksmen on the hills to take us in flank as we hurried up the valley.
They had the advantage in position, besides possessing seven small field
pieces, while on the other hand we had at least a couple of hundred men
in excess of their number, which it was supposed was 600. But I fancy I
remember having heard since from a Chôshiû man who was present that
their force was only one half of that. The bluejackets bore the brunt of
the business, as they had to cross the line of fire and to advance along
the outer edge of the horn-shaped valley, which curved away to the east
out of sight of the shipping. The Japanese could not stand our advance,
the sharp musketry fire threw them into disorder, and they had to run
for it. In only one case was an attempt made to come to close quarters.
One fellow had concealed himself behind a door with uplifted sword in
both hands, ready to cut down a man just about to enter. But contrary to
his expectation, his intended victim gave him a prod in the belly which
laid him on his back and spoilt his little game. Our French companions
in arms were disgusted at not having been present at the affair, and
turned up their noses at it, as _pas grand chose après tout_. It was the
fortune of war, and we commiserated them sincerely.
[Illustration: INTERIOR OF A JAPANESE BATTERY AFTER THE LANDING
OF THE ALLIED NAVAL FORCES]
The marines who in the first instance marched on Maeda mura had one man
killed and two wounded. They dismantled fifteen guns in the battery
there.
During the day a boat belonging to one of the Dutch men-of-war, with two
men in her, got loose and drifted down with the tide towards the town.
They were immediately shot, though quite defenceless. Fred Lowder and
his brother George, who had come up with him from Nagasaki "to see the
fun," had a narrow escape as they were paddling about in a Japanese
boat, which became unmanageable and was drifting off in the same
direction; they jumped into the water and swam ashore, or they would
probably have encountered the same fate.
The eastern end of the town of Shimonoséki (more properly speaking, I
believe, Akamagaséki) was set on fire, but the number of houses burnt
was extremely small. It was alleged that this was done by the French
because some Japanese soldiers had fired thence on their men, but I do
not know whether this is a fact. The "Perseus" ran ashore opposite the
nearest batteries, and as the tide ebbed her bow was high out of the
water, nor did she get off again until the following day.
I found myself on board again at half-past seven o'clock, very dirty,
very tired, very hungry and very thirsty.
On the 7th September working parties of bluejackets landed under the
protection of some marines to take possession of the guns, ten of which
they got into the boats. Others went up to the stockade and found some
field pieces, which they destroyed, hove down wells, or brought away. We
got together sixty, all but one of bronze, with two mortars and six
cohorns. We blew up all the powder and threw the shot and shell into the
sea. There was not a single hostile Japanese to be seen. The "Perseus"
had to be lightened by discharging all her guns and coals, and so
managed to get afloat by noon.
Our list of casualties during the two days' operation was eight killed
and thirty wounded, of whom one or two were not expected to live. We
landed at half-past one on the Tanoura side to bury our dead, the French
having already buried two in the forenoon. In digging the graves our men
found particles of a glittering substance which was at first taken to be
gold dust, but turned out to be mica. I met a party of Ogasawara's
two-sworded men, who asked how many dead we had, and how we had fared on
the previous day. On learning what a complete thrashing we had given the
enemy at the stockade, they expressed great satisfaction, and recounted
how the Chôshiû people had crossed over the straits in the previous
year, cut down their crops, carried off their live stock, and driven the
peasants away, after which they held possession of Tanoura for some
time, until public opinion and the necessity of providing for the
defence of Chôshiû's own territories had compelled them to withdraw.
Ogasawara's men feared that when Chôshiû came to find out that
communication had taken place between us and the Buzen folk, he would
visit them again after the withdrawal of the squadron, but I boldly
assured them that they need not alarm themselves, as we intended to
destroy the batteries, and deprive Chôshiû of his territory. For I knew
that part of the plan entertained by Sir Rutherford and his colleagues
was the seizure of a sufficient piece of territory near Shimonoséki as a
material guarantee for the payment of an adequate indemnity, and to hold
it until it could be conveniently handed over to the Tycoon's
government.
Sir Rutherford contemplated nothing less than the complete subjugation
of the Chôshiû clan, and he had enjoined upon the Admiral the necessity
of attacking Hagi, which was supposed to be the stronghold of the
_daimiô_. The Admiral, however, who was a prudent commander, and by no
means disposed to take orders from the civil representatives of Her
Majesty further than he was obliged, came to the conclusion that the
resources at his disposal did not permit of a permanent occupation of
any portion of Chôshiû's territory, and considered that as soon as the
forts were destroyed and the straits opened, his task was accomplished.
Fear had made the Ogasawara _samurai_ wondrously polite. The villagers
were also friendly enough, and I made them laugh good-humouredly with
some commonplace jokes, but did not succeed in inducing them to sell any
supplies. The officials, after hunting all through the village, as they
assured us, produced eight or ten eggs, which they said was all they
could find. Our bluejackets brought me some papers which they had picked
up in the stockade, and which appeared to contain evidences of plots by
Chôshiû against the Mikado, also quantities of pills made, or said to be
made, from bear's gall, and banknotes for small sums, such as were
commonly used in the territories of all the _daimiôs_. I believe that
silver coin was current at that time in the dominions of the Tycoon
alone.
On the 8th, fatigue parties landed again to bring off more guns; we got
all but two from the group of batteries, which made nineteen, besides
fifteen from Maeda mura and an equal number from the batteries on
Hikushima, the large island in the western entrance of the straits. I
went on shore to Maeda mura, and found a well built battery, with a
parapet twenty feet wide cased with stone towards the sea, and divided
into four sections by traverses, between which the guns were planted in
unequal numbers. In the rear stood a stone-built magazine, the roof of
which had been smashed by a round shot that went right through it. The
powder magazine, also of stone, which stood on one side of the valley
behind, had been blown up the previous day. Further up was a stockaded
barrack, which the French had burned. I went towards the advanced guard
near the town, but as the enemy began to show themselves and fire at us,
I made a prudent retreat.