Hugh Wilson McKee
One such ancestor is my second cousin three times removed (my great-grandfather’s first cousin), Lt. Hugh Wilson McKee. The McKee name appears frequently during the Texas Revolution, the Civil War, and the Mexican-American War, but I never expected to find it linked to a conflict half a world away. This battle occurred near the Incheon beaches, which were famously stormed by General Douglas MacArthur almost 80 years later during the Korean War. On June 11, 1871, Lt. McKee fought in the Shinmiyangyo Expedition, a conflict you won't typically find in American history books. As Winston Churchill once said, "History is written by the victors." The battle itself was inconclusive, and later, it was highlighted as an example of 19th-century Western imperialism and American arrogance. According to Dr. Thomas Duvernay, history professor at Yeungnam University in Gyeongsan, Korea, it was probably the first cultural misunderstanding between the United States and the Korean governments, and also the most crucial to early relations.[1]
Hugh Wilson McKee was the fourth and youngest child of Colonel William Robertson and Jane (Wilson) McKee, born in Lexington, Kentucky. Colonel William McKee, a West Point graduate, fought in the War of 1812. When the U.S.-Mexico War broke out, he was appointed Colonel of Companies F and G in the 2nd Regiment of Kentucky Volunteers and sent to Angostura, Mexico, to fight under General Zachary Taylor, who would later become the 12th President of the United States. On the second day of the Battle of Buena Vista, Col. McKee defended his position alongside Capt. Braxton Bragg and Col. John J. Hardin against General Santa Anna (the general responsible for the massacre at the Alamo in 1836). Severely wounded, McKee continued to fight until he was overwhelmed and bayoneted by Mexican soldiers. At the time, his youngest son, Hugh, was just two years old.
It remains uncertain where Hugh lived in the years following
his father’s death. He is not listed on the 1850 Federal Census with his
mother, two older brothers, and sister. However, the 1860 Federal Census shows
him residing with his mother, his brother George Wilson, and his sister
Margaret. By then, his eldest brother, John, had married, and his brother
George was attending the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
During his childhood, Hugh was undoubtedly influenced by the military stories of his father, his grandfather, Col. Samuel McKee, a War of 1812 veteran and U.S. Congressman, and his great-grandfather, Col. William Alexander McKee. The latter, who immigrated to America from Ireland, served in both the Revolutionary War and the French and Indian War, was a member of Virginia’s Colonial and State Legislature, and served as the sheriff of Rockbridge County, Virginia.
The US Naval Academy Graduate Association described Hugh as follows:
“McKee displayed, early in his
professional life, qualities of personal bearing and character that made him a
favorite among his peers and pointed to future success and distinction. He was
above average height, with a straight, compact build, and a noble, pleasing
countenance. He executed his duties with superior intelligence, sound judgment,
and remarkable precision, showing self-possession and decisiveness. McKee
possessed a rare quality of leadership that inspired confidence in his men.
Yet, he was even more beloved as a friend and comrade. No one in the Navy
garnered more affection from those with whom he served. His professional
reputation commanded respect, while his generous and approachable spirit left
an impression on all who came into contact with him.”[2]
Military Education and Career
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His first duty station was aboard the USS Rhode Island in the Practice Squadron, where the Navy trained officers and conducted drills to ensure the fleet’s combat readiness. In 1867, he was assigned to the steam frigate USS Franklin and joined Adm. David Glasgow Farragut on his famous European Cruise. The mission aimed to strengthen peaceful relations between the United States and various European nations following the Civil War. During this time, Hugh was promoted three more times, eventually reaching the rank of lieutenant when he was assigned to the USS Colorado.
The Colorado would mark his final assignment.
Setting the Stage for Shinmiyangyo
Under the Joseon Dynasty, Korea had long been subjected to
invasions, particularly from China and Japan. These external threats, combined
with Confucian ideals emphasizing stability, order, and the preservation of
traditional culture, led to a deep reluctance to engage with the outside world.
Korea’s leadership, often dominated by powerful clans, became increasingly wary
of external influences that could destabilize the country. Having witnessed the
effects of Western imperialism during the Opium Wars and the spread of
Christianity, Korea imposed strict trade restrictions, permitting only limited
exchanges with China and Japan under highly controlled conditions. This policy
earned Korea the nickname "The Hermit Kingdom."[3]
On August 16, 1866, the American schooner General Sherman, a merchant vessel, entered the mouth of the Taedong River, which flows inland toward Pyongyang. The crew dropped anchor, hoping to trade goods aboard the ship for Korean leopard skins, rice, paper, gold, and ginseng. An emissary was sent to meet the ship’s captain and inform him that the kingdom did not engage in trade with foreigners but would offer provisions to help them on their way to other regions. After the emissary left, the captain hoisted anchor and steamed up the Taedong River. When they eventually stopped on their way to Pyongyang, the local Governor sent provisions to the ship, along with this message: “You have reached the walls of our city. You insist on trading with us, which is forbidden. Your actions have created a grave situation. I must inform my King and then decide what to do with you.”[4]
Ten days later, the emissary was invited back aboard the General Sherman and kidnapped. Upon learning of the situation, the king’s regent, Daewongun, sent back this command: “Tell them to leave at once. If they do not obey, kill them.” By this time, leaving wasn’t an option. The General Sherman had only been able to advance upriver due to an exceptionally high tide, and with the tide returned to normal, the ship was now trapped.[5]
On September 4, the Koreans launched an attack, eventually setting fire to the General Sherman. The ensuing inferno claimed many of the crew members. Those who jumped overboard were captured and beaten to death by the Koreans. The only survivor was the emissary who had been kidnapped by the crew. All that remained of the ship's destruction were two large cannons displayed at the armory in Pyongyang. No word was sent to the United States, and the General Sherman effectively disappeared. In response, the U.S. sent the USS Shenandoah to investigate the ship’s fate, but communication with the Korean capital was denied.
Two months after the General Sherman's disappearance, a French fleet of seven warships arrived to establish a blockade of the Han River. The French sought retribution for the execution of nine Catholic missionaries and around 10,000 Korean converts to Catholicism by the Korean government. They aimed to retaliate for the executions and assert their influence in Korea. However, the Koreans successfully repelled the invaders, forcing the French troops to withdraw. Their actions only strengthened Korea's isolationist stance.
In May 1868, German merchant Ernst Oppert narrowly escaped Korea after attempting to blackmail the Korean Regent into opening trade with the West. His plan involved digging up the Regent's father's remains and holding them hostage until the Regent signed a trade agreement. Soldiers were dispatched to enter the tomb, excavate the crypt, and bring the sovereign’s bones back to the ship. However, the plan failed. While the soldiers desecrated the tomb, they couldn’t lift the heavy stone covering the crypt and had to abandon their mission. After such a bold and outrageous attempt, it’s no surprise that the Korean monarchy doubled down on their resolve to keep Westerners at bay.
The Shinmiyangyo (The Incident)
Five years after the disappearance of the General Sherman, the U.S. State Department instructed Frederick Low, the American foreign minister in China, to lead a punitive expedition to Korea. The mission was twofold: to uncover the fate of the General Sherman and to establish a trade treaty with the Hermit Kingdom. An assembly of five warships—USS Colorado, Alaska, Benicia, Palos, and Monocacy—along with 650 U.S. Marines and Navy bluejackets, set sail for the Kanghwa Strait, located between Kanghwa Island and the Korean mainland, just south of the Han River. It was hoped that the Koreans could be intimidated into negotiating a treaty, similar to how the Japanese had been dealt with nearly 20 years earlier. Though Minister Low had little optimism about their success, he set out to fulfill his government's orders.
In a tense but courteous first meeting near Eugenie Island aboard the Colorado, three Korean diplomats were welcomed and informed by Low that their mission was "non-aggressive." The Americans planned to take soundings along the western waters and survey the shores, and they would begin in 24 hours so that local civilians could be notified. The diplomats did not object, which the Americans interpreted as tacit approval for their plan. With this assumption, the USS Alaska, Benicia, and Colorado—accompanied by the Palos and Monocacy in a survey role—entered the Kanghwa Strait. As they began their survey, they observed several Korean fortifications along the coast of Kanghwa Island. Without warning, the ships came under fire from the fortresses, including the large Kwangsungbo Fortress, which the Americans referred to as "The Citadel." In response, the Palos and Monocacy steamed up the strait, rounding the bend to engage the Kwangsungbo Fortress with their heavy guns, forcing the Koreans to retreat from the walls. Afterward, the Americans withdrew to the harbor, waiting for an explanation and an apology from the Korean monarchy.
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| Officers of the USS Colorado - Lt. Hugh Wilson McKee is seated 4th from the left. |
The tide was out, and the ground forces faced a 200-yard stretch of soggy mudflats, where they sank to their knees with each step. The mud clung to their boots, socks, and even their pants, making progress slow and difficult. Once they crossed the flats, they reached the fortress, only to find it abandoned and in ruins, the result of the Monocacy's heavy bombardment. It was after 4 p.m. when the last of the Navy bluejackets arrived to finish the destruction of the fortress. They encamped nearby for the night.
Reveille sounded with a drumroll at 4 a.m., and the troops saw the Dukjin Fortress about a mile up the strait. That would be their next target. As the soldiers marched toward the fortress, the Monocacy launched heavy fire on its earthen walls, reducing them to rubble. By the time the Marines entered, the fortress was deserted and in ruins. To the north stood the Kwangsungbo Fortress, a prominent horseshoe-shaped structure commanded by General Uh Je-yeon. He awaited the Americans with a force of 3,000 Korean soldiers, including the legendary Tiger Hunters—fighters sworn to the death against any power that dared invade Korea’s sovereignty.
As the American troops navigated the steep terrain and dense foliage, the Korean forces began to advance from the flank. Only a few hundred yards from their destination, atop a steep hill, they began to take fire from the Koreans above. The roar of the Monocacy’s guns echoed in the distance as they rained down on the enemy fortress. It was nearly 11 a.m.
Lt. McKee and The Citadel
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| Lt. Hugh McKee (center with white hat) at the Choji Fortress hours before the attack on the Kwangsungbo Fortress. Photo by Felice Beato. |
The enemy’s ramparts were lined with yellow flags. McKee turned to Lt. Bloomfield McIlvaine, who commanded Company E. “Mac,” he said bluntly, “we must capture one of those flags.” Explosive shells from the Monocacy slammed against the earthen walls. The Koreans began a chilling death chant that grew louder with each passing moment, echoing across the valley. It was a terrifying sound, amplified by the violent clash of bayonets, cutlasses, and spears. Then, the command to attack came. Lt. McKee led the way, scaling the walls first and driving the soldiers up the steep hillside with a fierce advance. The intensity of their charge caught the Koreans off guard. Inside the citadel, they didn’t have time to reload their old rifles, and instead, they began throwing rocks down from the walls.
Standing atop the wall, sword in one hand and pistol in the other, McKee fired two shots before dropping into the thick of the enemy forces. Almost instantly, the Koreans overwhelmed him. One soldier shot McKee in the groin, while another drove a spear into his side. One by one, McKee’s men fell as they tried to protect their commander.
The battle ended within half an hour. Realizing their imminent defeat, some Koreans leaped to their deaths or fell upon their own swords to honor their vow to fight until the end. General Je-yeon was found and killed by Private James Dougherty, an act that would later earn him a Medal of Honor. With the commander dead and his flag in American hands, the battle was over.
Lt. McIlvaine found McKee after the battle: “McKee looked up at me and said, in his calm, cool manner: ‘Mac, I am mortally wounded.’ With the help of two or three of his men, I managed to move him a little aside to assess his injuries. It was a gunshot wound to the stomach. At first, I couldn’t believe it was serious, and I told him so. He smiled and said he thought I was mistaken. Soon, the doctor came up from the rear and advised that he should be taken aboard the Monocacy. I received permission to accompany him, the fighting now over, but I was told to return immediately after.
All the way there, McKee spoke very little, lying perfectly still with his eyes closed. I feared he was enduring unimaginable pain, yet no pain, no matter how excruciating, would make him flinch. When we reached the Monocacy, I handed him over to the surgeons, then told him, ‘Now Mac, I must go back to my company.’ He held out his hand, smiled, and said, ‘Well, good-bye Mac, if I don’t see you again.’ Those were the last words he ever spoke to me, but at the time, I never imagined it would be the last time I would hear them. I simply pressed his hand and hurried away. I couldn’t bring myself to believe he was going to die. Later that evening, around 6 o’clock, a boat came in from the Monocacy. An officer approached to inform me that McKee had passed. His final words were: ‘Tell the dear beloved ones at home that my last prayer is for them.’”[8]
Two nights before his death, Lt. Hugh McKee had visited with Rev. John Rutherford Matthews, the fleet chaplain. During that meeting, he had given the chaplain a letter to send home to his mother and fiancée. McKee had indicated that he felt he would not survive the expedition. His remains would eventually be sent back to Kentucky, where he would be laid to rest in Lexington Cemetery.
Although nine sailors and six Marines were awarded the Medal of Honor—the first ever given for action in a foreign conflict—McKee did not qualify for the honor as an officer. The Navy did not award the Medal of Honor to naval officers until legislation was passed in 1917. Instead, McKee was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and the Civil War Navy Medal for his actions during the Shinmiyangyo Expedition on June 11, 1871.
The Legacy of Hugh McKee and the Shinmiyangyo
The Shinmiyangyo Expedition is often regarded as inconclusive, with the American forces withdrawing after failing to secure an official apology or open trade relations with Korea. To the world, it stands as a stark example of the worst aspects of 19th-century imperialism. As a result, it is not a battle often highlighted in history books. Even in Minister Low’s own records, the attack on the Ganghwa fortress is portrayed as motivated by a desire to demonstrate American power over a perceived weaker nation, rather than as a reasonable step toward achieving the mission's political objectives. The American commanders felt entitled to "peacefully" enter Korean waters, armed with warships, and disregarded repeated diplomatic requests to respect Korean sovereignty.
“While the 1871 battle between the United States and Korea was not a major event in either country's history,” says professor Duvernay, “it was still an important event when it comes to looking at the history of relations between the two countries.”[9] The legacy of Lt. Hugh McKee stands as a testament to his bravery and selflessness and his sacrifice should never be forgotten. He thought only of his comrades and his duty, even in the face of egocentric leadership and poor strategic decisions. To his friend, Lt. McIlvaine, McKee was larger than life, and he could scarcely believe that McKee had died. To Captain McLaine Tilton of the USS Colorado, McKee was the epitome of nobility and heroism, “the beau of West Point.” According to Rear Admiral John Rodgers’ official report to George M. Robeson, the Secretary of the Navy, Washington D.C.: "Nothing could check our men; on they rushed. The heroic McKee was first to mount the parapet and the first to leap into a hand-to-hand conflict. There he fell, as his father fell in Mexico, at the head of his men, first inside the enemy's stormed works…”
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| Map of the Ganghwa Forts - USMC Historical Division Photograph Archives |
Korea would eventually establish a treaty with the United States in 1882, negotiated by Commodore Robert W. Shufeldt, who approached Korea in a single ship, rather than with an overwhelming naval force.
[1] https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/opinion/2025/01/715_312626.html (Accessed 15 Feb 2025); Duvernay, Thomas, “"Sinmiyangyo: The 1871 conflict between the United States and Korea,” 2021, ISBN-13: 979-8591251963
[2] Trowbridge, John; “Today Marks the 150th Anniversary of the Death of Lieutenant Hugh Wilson McKee,” Kentucky National Guard Magazine; 11 June 2022, https://ky.ng.mil/News/Article/3057343/today-marks-the-150th-anniversary-of-the-death-of-lieutenant-hugh-wilson-mckee/.Accessed 10 Feb. 2025.
[3] https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/General_Sherman_incident?form=MG0AV3
[4] Sterner, C. Douglas; Shinmiyangyo: The Other Korean War,” Legal Help for Veterans, PLLC, 2018. [https://www.ancestry.com/mediaui-viewer/collection/1030/tree/66331605/person/292668409436/media/d01782be-4397-4214-b8fa-65df50dc5a71?galleryindex=14&sort=-created]
[5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Sherman_incident?form=MG0AV3
[6] Sterner, C. Douglas; Shinmiyangyo: The Other Korean War,” Legal Help for Veterans, PLLC, 2018. [https://www.ancestry.com/mediaui-viewer/collection/1030/tree/66331605/person/292668409436/media/d01782be-4397-4214-b8fa-65df50dc5a71?galleryindex=14&sort=-created]
[7] Ibid.
[8] Ibid.
[9] https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/opinion/2025/01/715_312626.html (Accessed 15 Feb 2025); Duvernay, Thomas, “"Sinmiyangyo: The 1871 conflict between the United States and Korea,” 2021, ISBN-13: 979-8591251963