Matthew C. Perry

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Matthew Calbraith Perry (1794-1858).

Matthew Calbraith Perry (1794-1858) began his United States naval career when he was only fifteen years old under the command of his older brother Oliver Hazard Perry. Matthew Perry’s first command was schooner USS Cayne that sailed to Africa as part of the United States Navy’s efforts to stop the transatlantic slave trade. He was instrumental as a naval commander in bringing a conclusion to the Mexican War. Perry built a reputation for himself as a captain who saw to his crew's health as well as firm discipline. He promoted reforms for training naval officers and for expanding the use of steam power. He was known as the "father of the steam navy." Perry's most widely acclaimed achievement was his successful diplomatic mission to Japan. His efforts resulted in that island nation opening its shores to another country for the first time in more than two hundred years. This opening would have negative as well as positive consequences. However, it did lead to the rest of the world gaining much from exposure to Japanese culture. A sharing of ingenuity as well as commercial and trading links were formed. Japan, it can be argued, succeeded in retaining many aspects of its own culture while opening itself to the world markets and competing as an economic and technological power at the global level. At the same time, Commodore Perry can also be credited with helping to transform the world into a global community and the United States into a world power.

Early life and naval career

Born in Rocky Brook, Rhode Island, he was the son of Captain Christopher Raymond Perry and the younger brother of Oliver Hazard Perry. Oliver Perry, hero of the Battle of Lake Erie in 1812, is often quoted by the opening words of his battle report, "We have met the enemmy and theu are ours."

Matthew Perry obtained a midshipman's commission in the Navy in 1809, and was initially assigned to USS Revenge, under the command of his brother Oliver.

Perry's early career saw him assigned to several different ships, including the USS President, where he was aide to Commodore John Rodgers, which was victorious over a British vessel, HMS Little Belt, shortly before the War of 1812 was officially declared. During that war, Perry was transferred to USS United States, and consequently saw little fighting in that war afterward. His ship was trapped by the British blockade at New London, Connecticut. After the war he served on various vessels in the Mediterranean Sea and Africa notably aboard USS Cyane during its patrol off Liberia in 1819-1820. The Cyane was sent to suppress piracy and the slave trade in the West Indies. Later during this period, while in port in Russia, Perry was offered a commission in the Russian navy, which he declined.

Command assignments, 1820s-1840s

Opening of Key West

When England possessed Florida in 1763, the Spanish contended that the Florida Keys were part of Cuba and North Havana. The United States felt the island could potentially be the "Gibralter of the West" because Key West guarded the northern edge of the 90 mile wide Straits of Florida — the deep water route between the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico.

In 1815, the governor of Havana, Cuba deeded the island of Key West, Florida to Juan Pablo Salas of Saint Augustine, Florida. After Florida was transferred to the United States, Salas sold the island to U.S. businessman John W. Simonton for $2,000 in 1821. Simonton lobbied the United States Government to establish a naval base on the island, to take advantage of the island's strategic location and to bring law and order to the town.

On March 25, 1822, Perry sailed his next command, the schooner USS Shark to Key West and planted the United States flag, claiming the Florida Keys as American territory.

Perry renamed the island Cayo Hueso as Thompson's Island for the Secretary of the Navy Smith Thompson and its harbor as Port Rodgers for the president of the Board of Navy Commissioners. Rodgers was his superior officer, Commodore John Rodgers. Neither name remained for very long.

From 1826 through 1827 he acted as fleet captain for Commodore Rodgers. Perry returned for shore duty at Charleston, South Carolina in 1828. In 1830 he took command of USS Concord. He spent the years from 1833 to 1837 as second officer of the New York Navy Yard which was later renamed the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Perry was promoted to captain when his assignment there ended.

Father of the Steam Navy

Perry had a considerable interest in naval education, supporting an apprentice system to train new seamen, and helped establish the curriculum for the United States Naval Academy. He was also a vocal proponent of modernization. Once promoted to captain, he oversaw construction of the Navy's second steam frigate, USS Fulton, which he commanded after it was commissioned. He organized the United States' first corps of naval engineers, who later become known as the Seabees (CB for Construction Batallion), and conducted the first American Navy gunnery school while commanding USS Fulton in 1839 and 1840 at Sandy Hook on the coast of New Jersey.

Promotion to Commodore

Perry acquired the courtesy title of commodore in 1841, and was made chief of the New York Navy Yard in the same year. In 1843, he took command of the African Squadron, whose duty was to interdict the slave trade under the Webster-Ashburton Treaty, and continued in this mission through 1844.

The Mexican-American War

Organized as early as 1838, Home Squadron ships were assigned, among other duties, to protect coastal commerce, aid ships in distress, suppress piracy and the slave trade, as well as make coastal surveys, and train ships to relieve others on distant stations. In 1845 Commodore David Connor was apponted commander of the United States Home Squadron. He was also due for retirement. However, the coming of the Mexican American War persuaded the American Navy authorities to not change commanders in the face of the war. Perry, who would eventually succeed Connor, was made second-in-command of the Home Squadron and captain USS Mississippi, a side wheel steamer.

Mexico had no offical navy, making the United States Navy's role completely onesided. The navy quickly blockaded Mexico along its entire coastline of the Gulf of Mexico. With the Mississippi as his flagship, Commodore Perry left Connor's main force of 200 ships and sailed with seven ships for Frontera on the Gulf of Mexico in October 1846. From October 24 to 26 he sailed up the Tabasco River (the present day Grijalva River) and demonstrated naval might against the city of Tabasco. Neither side was able to mount sufficient force to hold Tabasco. Torn between the option of shelling the town to drive out the Mexican Army and disrupting commerce, Perry gave in to the requests of the townspeople ceased the bombardment and withdrew. He then sailed back to the port city of Frontera. Later he returned to Commodore David Connor's main force and took part in the Tampico Expedition in which ended when the Navy occupied Tampico in November 1846. In January 1847 needed repairs to the Mississppi forced Perry to return to shipyard at Norfolk, Virginia. Before he sailed for Norfolk, Perry gave six heavy cannon to the United States military commander in the field, General Winfield Scott. These cannon were landed and, by manpower, positioned nearly two miles inland and used to great effect during the siege at Veracruz. At seas the cannon had no effect against the entrenched Mexican Army.

Perry was still in Norfolk when the amphibious landings on March 9, 1847 took place at Vera Cruz. This was the first large scale amphibious landing conducted by the United States military. Some reports refer to Commodore Connor's direction of the landing as brilliant and that some 12,000 men and materials where landed within five hours. Perry's return to the United States gave his superiors the chance to give him orders to relieve and succeed Commodore Connor, who was by then suffering from poor health, as commander of the Home Squadron. Perry returned to the fleet during the siege of Veracruz and his ship supported the siege from the sea. After the fall of Veracruz on March 29, the American force with General Scott moved inland toward Mexico City and Perry moved against the remaining Mexican port cities. Perry assembled the Mosquito Fleet and captured Tuxpan in April, 1847. In June, 1847 he attacked Tabasco, this time with more favorable results. Perry personally led a 1,173 man assault landing force ashore and captured the city from land.

The Opening of Japan: 1852-1854

Precedents

Perry's expedition to Japan was preceded by several naval expeditions by American ships:

  • From 1797 to 1809, several American ships traded in Nagasaki under the Dutch flag, upon the request of the Dutch who were not able to send their own ships because of their conflict against Britain during the Napoleonic Wars.
  • In 1837, an American businessman in Canton, China, named Charles W. King saw an opportunity to open trade by trying to return to Japan three Japanese sailors (among them, Otokichi) who had been shipwrecked a few years before on the coast of Oregon. He went to Uraga Channel with Morrison, an unarmed American merchant ship. The ship was attacked several times, and finally sailed back without completing its mission.
  • In 1846, Commander James Biddle, sent by the United States Government to open trade, anchored in Tokyo Bay with two ships, including one warship armed with 72 cannons, but his requests for a trade agreement remained unsuccessful.
  • In 1848, Captain James Glynn sailed to Nagasaki, leading at last to the first successful negotiation by an American with "Closed Country" Japan. James Glynn recommended to the United States Congress that negotiations to open Japan should be backed up by a demonstration of force, thus paving the way to Perry's expedition.

Background

The Portuguese landed in southern Kyushu, Japan, in 1543 and within two years were making regular port calls. In 1549, a Portuguese Jesuit priest, Francis Xavier, arrived in Kyushu, and, largely due to his influence, Christianity began to have a considerable impact on Japan. The Spanish arrived in 1587, followed by the Dutch in 1609. Tolerance for Christianity disappeared as Japan became more unified and the openness of the period decreased. Strong persecution and suppression of Christianity took place although foreign trade was still encouraged.

By 1616, trade was restricted to Nagasaki and Hirado, an island northwest of Kyushu. In 1635 all Japanese were forbidden to travel outside of Japan or return. The Portuguese were restricted to Deshima, a man-made islet in Nagasaki's harbor, but were then expelled completely by 1638. By 1641, the few Dutch and Chinese foreign contacts were limited to Nagasaki.

The United States wanted to begin trading with Japan because at Japanese ports the American navy and merchant ships could restock coal and supplies. The American whaling fleet also had an interest in the Japanese market.

Never before had the Japanese seen ships steaming with smoke. When they saw Commodore Perry’s fleet, they thought the ships were "giant dragons puffing smoke." They did not know that steamboats existed and were shocked by the number and size of the guns on board the ships.

First visit, 1852-1853

File:PerryIkokusen.jpg
Japanese 1854 print relating Perry's visit.

In 1852, Perry embarked from Norfolk, Virginia for Japan, in command of a squadron in search of a Japanese trade treaty. Aboard the black-hulled steam frigate USS Mississippi (1841), he ported with the USS Plymouth (1844), USS Saratoga (1842), and, USS Susquehanna (1847) at Uraga Harbor near Edo (modern Tokyo) on July 8, 1853. Perry was met by representatives of the Tokugawa Shogunate who told him to proceed to Nagasaki, which was the only Japanese port open to foreigners at that time. At that time the Netherlands enjoyed limited trade with Japan but only from Nagasaki. However, Perry refused to leave and demanded permission to present a letter from President Millard Fillmore, threatening force if he was denied. Japan had for centuries rejected modern technology, and the Japanese military forces could not resist Perry's modern weaponry. To Japan the "Black Ships" would then become a threatening symbol of Western technology and colonialism.

The Japanese government accepted Perry's coming ashore to avoid a naval bombardment. Perry proceeded ashore at Kurihama, (near modern-day Yokosuka) on July 14, 1853, and presented the letter to delegates present and left for the Chinese coast, promising to return for a reply.

Second visit, 1854

Commodore Perry's fleet for his second visit to Japan in 1854.

Perry returned in February, 1854 with twice as many ships, finding that the delegates had prepared a treaty embodying virtually all the demands in Fillmore's letter. Perry signed the Convention of Kanagawa on March 31, 1854 and departed, mistakenly believing the agreement had been made with imperial representatives.

On his way to Japan, Perry anchored off of Keelung in Formosa, known today as Taiwan, for ten days. Perry and crew members landed on Formosa and investigated the potential of mining the coal deposits in that area. He emphasized in his reports that Formosa provided a convenient, mid-way trade location. Perry's reports noted that the island was very defensible and it could serve as a base for exploration in a similar way that Cuba had done for the Spanish in the Americas. Occupying Formosa could help the United States counter European monopolization of the major trade routes. The United States government failed to respond to Perry's proposal to claim sovereignty over Formosa.

Barriers Broken Down

Perry assigned senior Naval officers for diplomatic duty. At the same time, he gathered an impressive naval squadron along with United States Marine Corps ground forces. Fortunately Perry never had to actually employ these troops but strategically used this force as a counter measure on several occasions.

Another clever step Perry took was not allowing himself to be diverted by dealing with low ranking government officials. He had brought a letter from the President of the United States, Millard Fillmore, to the Emperor of Japan. He waited patiently with his armed ships and insisted on dealing only with the highest emissaries of the Emperor.

Perry’s characteristics of working methodically, patiently, and persistently created an environment where there was no expectation of instant success but an incrementally applied effort over the time span of a full year. Even though Perry’s strategies may have appeared arrogant and perhaps aggressive, this framework built his success and produced the victorious results of his mission.

The Japanese government was forced by Perry's approach to realize they were not in any position to defend itself its isolationist policy would not protect Japan from the threat of war. After long debate finally, on March 31, 1854, the Japanese government and Perry agreed on the Kanagawa Treaty. [1]

The treaty proposed:

  • Peace and friendship between the United States and Japan
  • Opening of two ports to American ships at Shimoda and Hakodate
  • Help for any American ships wrecked on the Japanese coast and protection for shipwrecked persons
  • Permission for American ships to buy supplies, coal, water, and other necessary provisions in Japanese ports.

In accordance with Japanese custom, ceremonies and lavish dinners followed the treaty signing. Japanese courtesy and manner so impressed the American delegation that they reported their amazement at the rich Japanese culture.

Through his patient and strong approach Commodore Perry was able to dissolve the barriers that separated Japan from the rest of the world. To this day the Japanese celebrate Perry's expedition with annual black ship festivals. Perry home town of Newport, Rhode Island, also celebrates a Black Ship festival every year in July. Newport and Shimoda's regard eacxh other as sister cities in tribute to Commodore Perry.

Return to the United States, 1855

A map of Coal Mines distribution on Formosa Island in the Narrative of the Commodore Matthew Calbraith Perry's Expedition to Japan.

Upon Perry's return to the United States in 1855, Congress voted to grant him a reward of $20,000 in appreciation of his work in Japan. Perry used part of this money to prepare and publish a report on the expedition in three volumes, titled Narrative of the Expedition of an American Squadron to the China Seas and Japan.

Last years

Perry died three years later on March 4, 1858 in New York City. His remains were moved to the Island Cemetery in Newport, Rhode Island on March 21, 1866, along with those of his daughter, Anna, who died in 1839.

Trivia

  • Perry's middle name is often misspelled as Galbraith.
  • Among other mementos, Perry presented Queen Victoria with a breeding pair of Japanese Chin dogs, a breed previously owned only by Japanese nobility.
  • A replica of Perry's US flag is on display on board the USS Missouri (BB-63) Memorial in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. It is attached to the bulkhead just inboard of the Japanese surrender signing site on the port side of the ship.
  • His wife Jane Slidell was the sister of John Slidell. The city of Slidell, Louisiana is named after him. Jane Slidell also had another brother, Alexander Slidell Mackenzie, a naval officer, who commanded the USS Somers off the coast of Africa during the Blockade of Africa. [[2]]

Fictional depictions

The story of the opening of Japan was the basis of Stephen Sondheim & John Weidman's "Pacific Overtures".

Actor Richard Boone played Perry in a highly fictionalized film called "The Bushido Blade". Released in 1980, but produced earlier, it was marketed in such a way as to take advantage of the popularity of the Japanese-themed TV miniseries Shogun. It was not well received critically and did poorly at the box office.

The coming of Perry's ships is briefly mentioned in an episode of the anime (Japanese animated video) series "Rurouni Kenshin", and in the first episode of "Hikaru no Go". Another anime series in which Perry briefly appears is "Bokusatsu Tenshi Dokuro-chan". The manga,(Japanese comic strips) "Fruits Basket," also refers to the event while the main character is studying.

In the 23rd episode of the anime "Samurai Champloo", (Heart and Soul Into the Ball - Baseball Blues) a fictitious depiction of the black ships comes to the shores of Japan, several years earlier than Perry, to force trade with the Americans. However, they are distracted by the fact that they have a baseball and henceforth challenge them to a baseball game involving the main characters (much to their dismay), wagering the westernization of Japan. Though Perry doesn't physically appear, he's mentioned at the end of the episode. The Americans in the episode were given the march song, "The Stars and Stripes Forever," as their main theme.

Matthew C. Perry's Timeline

  • 1794, (April 10) Born in South Kingstown, Rhode Island
  • 1809, Embarked in a naval career as midshipman at the age of fifteen.
  • 1813, Advanced to the rank of Lieutenant
  • 1819-1820, Served on the USS Cyane during its patrol off Liberia to suppress piracy and the slave trade in the West Indies
  • 1821–1825, Commanded the USS Shark
  • 1822, (March 25) Planted the United States flag, physically claiming the Keys as American property
  • 1826-1827, Acted as fleet captain for Commodore Rodgers
  • 1828, Perry returned for shore duty to Charleston, South Carolina
  • 1830, Assigned to command the USS Concord
  • 1833-1837, Second officer of the New York Navy Yard which was later renamed the Brooklyn Navy Yard
  • 1837, Supervised the construction of first naval steamship, Fulton
  • 1837, Promoted to the rank of Captain
  • 1839-1840, Conducted the first U.S. naval gunnery school while commanding USS Fulton off Sandy Hook on the coast of New Jersey
  • 1841, Promoted to the rank of Commodore and made chief of the Philadelphia Navy Yard
  • 1843-1844, Commanded the African Squadron, which was engaged in suppressing the slave trade
  • 1845, Made second-in-command of the Home Squadron and captain USS Mississippi
  • 1846, (October 24 to 26) Sailed up the Tabasco River (the present day Grijalva River) and demonstrated naval might against the city of Tabasco
  • 1846, (November) After returning to Commodore David Connor's main force, Perry took part in the Tampico Expedition in which ended when the Navy occupied Tampico
  • 1847, (January) Needed repairs to the Mississppi forced Perry to return to shipyard at Norfolk, Virginia His return to the U.S. did give his superiors the chance to finally give him orders to succeed Commodore Connor in command of the Home Squadron
  • 1847, (March) Returned to the fleet during the siege of Veracruz and his ship supported the siege from the sea
  • 1847, (April) Captured Tuxpan
  • 1847, (May) Captured Carmen
  • 1847, (June 15-16) Captured last port city on the Gulf coast, San Juan Bautista (present day Villahermosa), capital of Tabasco
  • 1853, Perry was sent on a mission by President Millard Fillmore to establish trade with Japan
  • 1853, (July) Perry leads a squadron of four ships into Tokyo Bay and presented representatives of the Japanese Emperor with the text of a proposed commercial and friendship treaty. The Japanese rejected Perry’s demands and Perry withdrew.
  • 1854, (February) Returned to Japan. This time he appears with four sailing ships, three steamers, and 1600 men.
  • 1854, (March 8) After a standoff, Perry landed for peace and trade talks and began to negotiate with the Japanese to establish a trade agreement.
  • 1854, (March 31) Perry signs the Treaty of Kanagawa
  • 1855, Perry returned to the United States
  • 1856- 1857, Perry published three volume set: "Narrative of the Expedition of an American Squadron to the China Seas and Japan"
  • 1858 (March 4), Perry died in New York City, New York

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