This is too Easy
Look up the Bombardment of Shimonoseki on Wikipedia. Although this is an incident that was totally separate from the Civil War it is a military action that occured during the Civil War and involved Japan.
But since we can't leave it at that...
POD: 1861: Robert H. Pruyn, the newly appointed minister to Japan, tells several of his wealthy friends in Albany, New York of his impending move to Japan. Shortly after his move several New York merchants use their influence with Pruyn to establish commercial ties with Japanese merchants and businessmen. Despite the ongoing Civil War trade between the two nations begins to increase.
1862: Fearful of the safety of his American compatriots in the ever increasing instability of Japan, Pruyn sends one of his personal secretaries to Shanghai to contact American Filibuster, Frederick Townsend Ward. Ward, who is the commander of the Ever Victororius Army fighting in China's Taiping Rebellion is contacted in order to get his help in forming a pro-Western Japanese Mercenary Army to protect westerners.
While they are there Ward is wounded, but victorious, in the Battle of Cixi. They convince Ward to travel to Japan with his Chinese family and his favorite Chinese lieutent, Li Heng-sung. In early November Ward and Pruyn send an urgent message to Washington requesting funds and "a small number of able commanders" to raise and train a Japanese mercenary army.
1863: Lincoln is reluctant to commit any troops to Japan, but Seward and Secretary of the Navy, Gideon Welles convince him otherwise. In early April, Robert G. Shaw, the ambitious young commander of the 54th Regiment, a newly raised black regiment, volunteers his force for the expedition and helps to aquire financial support from wealthy friends. Lincoln refuses to send the entire regiment but sends two companies of blacks and Shaw himself along with 300 marines to Japan.
Enroute to Japan the three ships of "Shaw's Negro Expedition" as it becomes known in the press, pass Ward's trip to Washington. Ward arrives in America in early May. After a short trip to his home town of Salem, Mass., Ward is given a temporary spot on General John F. Reynolds staff (The two had met in Washington when Reynolds had traveled there to meet with Lincoln regarding his possible command of the Army of the Potomac). Li Heng-sung accompanies Ward, and despite wide spread prejudice he is treated well by Reynolds and Hancock who note that "Li's race not-withstanding, he has an excellent eye for the battlefield and is a most competent soldier."
At Gettysburg both Ward and Li are present when Reynolds is badly wounded. [It has been said that only the fact that Reynolds sat up in his saddle to point something out to Li prevented the minie ball from hitting Reynolds in the head.] Ward is able to assist Gen. Doubleday in organizing a fighting retreat through the town and to the highlands of Cemetary Ridge. Ward and Li were then assigned to Hancock's staff and were present for Pickett's charge. Union trooper's recall Ward having three horses shot out from under him and it known that Li was present at the "Confederate High Water Mark" amongst the men of the 72nd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Regiment. His use of a traditional Chinese sword and martial art techniques enamoured the Pennsylvanian's and angered the aristocratic southerners. [It also directly led to the Kung Fu Craze that gripped the Northeast in the immediate post war years.]
Despite numerous minor wounds Ward and Li left (along with 88 volunteers) to return to Japan. While Ward was in America anti-foreigner anger had boiled over in Shimonoseki, Japan. Several western ships, including the American steamer, Pembroke (which was captured intact), were fired upon by the local Japanese warlord. On July 11, the Dutch warship Medusa was fired upon and ran aground. Ten members of its crew, including her captain, were beheaded and the remainder were imprisoned and threatened with death. Five days later the four warships (three American and one Dutch) of Captain David McDougal's small squadron enter the Shimonoseki Strait. While McDougal's flagship, Wyoming, and the Dutch warship engaged the Warlord's flotilla, American and Dutch Marines landed and advanced on the costal fortress. A fierce fight ensued and the 400 marines were forced to withdraw after suffering over 50 casualties. Later that night a handselected group 8 Marines and 32 blacks led by Colonel Shaw successfully penetrated the fortress and resuced the 16 surviving crewmembers of the Medusa along with 10 western sailors and merchants.
In the meantime a group of 24 marines succesfully recaptured the Pembrooke and torched the grounded Medusa. The next morning the battered squadron departed for Shanghai. Enroute the Americans and Dutch celebrated their victory and the colored troops were accepted by the once aloof Marines and were given the nick name "Dark Water Men". Enraged by his humiliating loss, Warlord Mori Takachika, vowed to repulse the next attack. Two weeks later a French expedition was successfully ambushed and only 12 of 250 men survived. Two weeks after that the British attack at Kagoshima convinced Takachika to ally his Choshu clan with the Satsuma clan. From there he worked to build an alliance of clans in the south of Honshu.
After a two month stay in Shagnhai, McDougal's squadron (now with four American warships, three Dutch warships and two armed merchant ships) left for Tokyo. When they arrived in mid-November they met up with the Ward and his growing Japanese Legion. It was then that Shaw learned of the 54th's gallent, but suicidal attack on Battery Wagner just two days after his own heroic assault on Takachika's fortress. Upon hearing this Ward recalls Shaws melencholy comment..."They have paid in blood for their rightful place in history." [It is said that the enigmatic Marine toast, "To the couragous men of Wagner, may they find their way to the Dark Waters." came about that cold November night in Tokyo Harbor.]
More to come.
Ben Lecrone
Look up the Bombardment of Shimonoseki on Wikipedia. Although this is an incident that was totally separate from the Civil War it is a military action that occured during the Civil War and involved Japan.
But since we can't leave it at that...
POD: 1861: Robert H. Pruyn, the newly appointed minister to Japan, tells several of his wealthy friends in Albany, New York of his impending move to Japan. Shortly after his move several New York merchants use their influence with Pruyn to establish commercial ties with Japanese merchants and businessmen. Despite the ongoing Civil War trade between the two nations begins to increase.
1862: Fearful of the safety of his American compatriots in the ever increasing instability of Japan, Pruyn sends one of his personal secretaries to Shanghai to contact American Filibuster, Frederick Townsend Ward. Ward, who is the commander of the Ever Victororius Army fighting in China's Taiping Rebellion is contacted in order to get his help in forming a pro-Western Japanese Mercenary Army to protect westerners.
While they are there Ward is wounded, but victorious, in the Battle of Cixi. They convince Ward to travel to Japan with his Chinese family and his favorite Chinese lieutent, Li Heng-sung. In early November Ward and Pruyn send an urgent message to Washington requesting funds and "a small number of able commanders" to raise and train a Japanese mercenary army.
1863: Lincoln is reluctant to commit any troops to Japan, but Seward and Secretary of the Navy, Gideon Welles convince him otherwise. In early April, Robert G. Shaw, the ambitious young commander of the 54th Regiment, a newly raised black regiment, volunteers his force for the expedition and helps to aquire financial support from wealthy friends. Lincoln refuses to send the entire regiment but sends two companies of blacks and Shaw himself along with 300 marines to Japan.
Enroute to Japan the three ships of "Shaw's Negro Expedition" as it becomes known in the press, pass Ward's trip to Washington. Ward arrives in America in early May. After a short trip to his home town of Salem, Mass., Ward is given a temporary spot on General John F. Reynolds staff (The two had met in Washington when Reynolds had traveled there to meet with Lincoln regarding his possible command of the Army of the Potomac). Li Heng-sung accompanies Ward, and despite wide spread prejudice he is treated well by Reynolds and Hancock who note that "Li's race not-withstanding, he has an excellent eye for the battlefield and is a most competent soldier."
At Gettysburg both Ward and Li are present when Reynolds is badly wounded. [It has been said that only the fact that Reynolds sat up in his saddle to point something out to Li prevented the minie ball from hitting Reynolds in the head.] Ward is able to assist Gen. Doubleday in organizing a fighting retreat through the town and to the highlands of Cemetary Ridge. Ward and Li were then assigned to Hancock's staff and were present for Pickett's charge. Union trooper's recall Ward having three horses shot out from under him and it known that Li was present at the "Confederate High Water Mark" amongst the men of the 72nd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Regiment. His use of a traditional Chinese sword and martial art techniques enamoured the Pennsylvanian's and angered the aristocratic southerners. [It also directly led to the Kung Fu Craze that gripped the Northeast in the immediate post war years.]
Despite numerous minor wounds Ward and Li left (along with 88 volunteers) to return to Japan. While Ward was in America anti-foreigner anger had boiled over in Shimonoseki, Japan. Several western ships, including the American steamer, Pembroke (which was captured intact), were fired upon by the local Japanese warlord. On July 11, the Dutch warship Medusa was fired upon and ran aground. Ten members of its crew, including her captain, were beheaded and the remainder were imprisoned and threatened with death. Five days later the four warships (three American and one Dutch) of Captain David McDougal's small squadron enter the Shimonoseki Strait. While McDougal's flagship, Wyoming, and the Dutch warship engaged the Warlord's flotilla, American and Dutch Marines landed and advanced on the costal fortress. A fierce fight ensued and the 400 marines were forced to withdraw after suffering over 50 casualties. Later that night a handselected group 8 Marines and 32 blacks led by Colonel Shaw successfully penetrated the fortress and resuced the 16 surviving crewmembers of the Medusa along with 10 western sailors and merchants.
In the meantime a group of 24 marines succesfully recaptured the Pembrooke and torched the grounded Medusa. The next morning the battered squadron departed for Shanghai. Enroute the Americans and Dutch celebrated their victory and the colored troops were accepted by the once aloof Marines and were given the nick name "Dark Water Men". Enraged by his humiliating loss, Warlord Mori Takachika, vowed to repulse the next attack. Two weeks later a French expedition was successfully ambushed and only 12 of 250 men survived. Two weeks after that the British attack at Kagoshima convinced Takachika to ally his Choshu clan with the Satsuma clan. From there he worked to build an alliance of clans in the south of Honshu.
After a two month stay in Shagnhai, McDougal's squadron (now with four American warships, three Dutch warships and two armed merchant ships) left for Tokyo. When they arrived in mid-November they met up with the Ward and his growing Japanese Legion. It was then that Shaw learned of the 54th's gallent, but suicidal attack on Battery Wagner just two days after his own heroic assault on Takachika's fortress. Upon hearing this Ward recalls Shaws melencholy comment..."They have paid in blood for their rightful place in history." [It is said that the enigmatic Marine toast, "To the couragous men of Wagner, may they find their way to the Dark Waters." came about that cold November night in Tokyo Harbor.]
More to come.
Ben Lecrone