Rebels, Yankees, and the Empire of the Rising Sun.On December 7th, 1941, the Japanese Imperial Navy

Rebels, Yankees, and the Empire of the Rising Sun.On December 7th, 1941, the Japanese Imperial Navy launched a surprise attack on the American Pacific fleet in Pearl Harbor, killing 2,400 and plunging the United States into World War II.  Believe it or not this was not the first naval engagement between Japan and the United States.  During the American Civil War, a little known engagement known as the Battle of Shimonoseki occurred marking the first incident in which US and Japanese forces would come to blows.The CSS Alabama was a steam driven sloop of war that was part of the Confederate Navy.  A commerce raider, she traveled all over the world attacking Union merchant ships, warehouses, and trading posts in an attempt to undermine the Union economy.  In 1862 the Alabama had traveled to the Far East, attacking US ships, ports, and trading warehouses in Indonesia, China, and Japan.  The rich trade with the east was an important asset to the US economy, so the Union Navy sent the USS Wyoming to the Pacific to hunt down and destroy the Alabama.Under the command of Captain David McDougal, the Wyoming was also a steam driven war sloop armed with the new and powerful Dahlgren and parrot guns.  The Wyoming arrived in port at East Indies Station, Indonesia in October of 1862, and spent the next six months scouring the Far East for the Alabama.  The Wyoming followed her trail all over Indonesia, the South China Sea, and the North China Sea, often coming close but never trapping her prey.  Then in March of 1863 Captain McDougal received new orders to break off pursuit and steam for JapanThe Japanese Emperor Komei had recently made an edict that all foreigners should be expelled by June of 1863, breaking several trade treaties that Japan had signed with the US and other nations.  The order sparked a series of anti-foreigner riots among the Japanese.  One  Japanese clan, the Choshu, began to illegally attack foreign ships, including two American merchantmen.  Captain McDougal was ordered to Japan in order to protect American citizens and property.  Upon arriving Capt. McDougal decided that the best course of action would be to retaliate against the Japanese ships that were conducting the illegal raids.On June 25th, 1863 the Wyoming steamed into the Strait of Shimonoseki.  There to meet her were three warships under the command of Daimyo Lord Mori Takachika.  Incredibly the three ships were built in the United States, named the Daniel Webster, the Kosei (originally the Lanrick), and the Koshin (originally the Lancefield).  Despite outnumbering their foe, the Japanese ships were outdated, armed with obsolete cannon firing round shot, and manned by “Samurai sailors” who knew little about naval warfare and seamanship.  The Wyoming immediately engaged the Japanese, first destroying several coastal forts and artillery batteries.  In unknown waters, the Wyoming ran aground on a sandbar in the middle of the straight.  The three Japanese warships pounced on the Wyoming, continuously firing on her for over an hour.  During the furious exchange, the Wyoming managed to sink the the Kosei and the Koshin, while repelling a boarding party.  After managing to work loose off the seafloor, the Wyoming then drove away the Daniel Webster.  Although being heavily damaged the Wyoming suffered light casualties, with 4 dead and 11 wounded.  The Japanese, however, suffered over 40 dead, and had lost 2 ships as well as several shore guns and fortifications.  The first naval engagement between the US and Japan was a terrible defeat for Japan, the next would be a major disaster for the United States.  A year later a combined force of British, Dutch, and French warships would gut the Japanese fleet, forcing the Emperor to recall his edicts against foreigners.Meanwhile the CSS Alabama had escaped, left the Pacific entirely, and switched to raiding shipping in the North Atlantic.  In June of 1864, the Alabama was sunk by the USS Kearsarge off the coast of Cherbourg, France. -- source link

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