Dear Tkoind;
Welcome to the Civil War Talk forums. I am sure you will find much to answer some of your questions; within the various sections this site has; such as links; documents and the like.
If you do not find what you seek in archives; you are welcome to raise questions and pose your own thoughts on things as well. A fresh look from the outside, per. se.; can enlighten all.
Just move as fast and as comfortable as you feel.
In addition; may I have you consider going to
www.e-history.com and; on the 'search engine' type:
Japaneseor
Japan; to my surprise; it seems that J. HOLT, Judge-Advocate- General; wrote the 'political affairs and its legal aspects; to which he states something about Japanese slaves committing ritual death by command.
O.R.--SERIES II--VOLUME VII [S# 120]
UNION & CONFED. CORRESPONDENCE, ORDERS, ETC., RELATING TO PRISONERS OF WAR AND STATE FROM APRIL 1, 1864, TO DECEMBER 31, 1864.--#38
WAR DEPARTMENT, BUREAU OF MILITARY JUSTICE,
Washington, D. C., October 8, 1864.
Hon. E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War:
SIR: Having been instructed by you to prepare a detailed report upon the mass of testimony furnished me from different sources in regard to the secret associations and conspiracies against the Government formed principally in the Western States by traitors and disloyal persons, I have now the honor to submit as follows:
[lengthy excerpt removed due to length]
VI.--ITS WRITTEN PRINCIPLES.
Here, expressed in studied terms of hypocrisy, is the whole theory of human bondage--the right of the strong, because they are strong, to despoil and enslave the weak, because they are weak! The languages of earth can add nothing to the cowardly and loathsome baseness of the doctrine as thus announced. It is the robber's creed, sought to be nationalized, and would push back the hand on the dial plate of our civilization to the darkest periods of human history. It must be admitted, however, that it furnishes a fitting corner stone for the government of a rebellion, every fiber of whose body and every throb of whose soul is born of the traitorous ambition and slave-pen inspirations of the South. To these detestable tenets is added that other pernicious political theory of State sovereignty, with its necessary fruit, the monstrous doctrine of secession--a doctrine which, in asserting that in our federative system a part is greater than the whole, would compel the General Government,
like a Japanese slave, to commit hari-kari whenever a faithless or insolent State should command it to do so. Thus, the ritual, after reciting that the States of the Union are "free, independent, and sovereign," proceeds as follows:
[excerpt ends-however the report continues on about the investigation into the Confederacy by J. HOLT, Judge-Advocate- General ]
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Navy O.R.-- Series II--Volume 1
Statistical Data Of Ships.
United States Vessels. "N"-"S"
U. S. S. STONEWALL.
Acquisition.--Formerly the C. S. ram Stonewall. Purchased by Navy Department.
Cost.--$16,344.25, including expenses.
Description.---Class: Steamer; ironclad ram.
Disposition.--Sold, August 5, 1867, to
Japanese Government.
Remarks.--Hornet and Rhode Island,
with the ram Stonewall, arrived at the Washington Navy Yard, November 25, 1865.
-----------------------------
Navy O.R.-- Series I--Volume 1 [S# 1]
Operations Of The Cruisers--Union.
From January 19, 1861, To January 31, 1863. pp. 203-262
Report of Commander Schenck, U. S. Navy, commanding U. S. S. Saginaw, of visits to various Japanese and Chinese ports.
U. S. S. SAGINAW,
Hongkong, November 27, 1861.
SIR: I have the honor to report that I left Shanghai on the 2d of September for Japan. I visited the ports of Nagasaki and Kanagawa, where I conferred freely and frequently with our consuls, as well as with the U. S. minister at Yedo, all of whom represented the state of affairs to be such as to require no special action on my part, although the presence of a United States naval force, however insignificant, appeared to give comfort and confidence to the American citizens. I returned to Shanghai on the 12th of October, and left again on the 22d. Since then I have visited the ports of Ning Po, Foo-Chow, Amoy, and Swatow, arriving here on the "4th instant. At all the different ports I found the flag of the United States was treated with that respect and deference it had always commanded, and her citizens, for I have met none but loyal ones, as proud of it as ever.
I have received your communication of the 1st of August, in reference to Captain Walter M. Gibson, and shall be on the lookout for him. A Honolulu paper announces his arrival at that place on the 30th of June. He is well known here, and I am satisfied has not yet arrived.
I find the Saginaw requires to be docked in consequence of having lost some of her copper, and her decks are leaking badly. I shall go to Whampoa in a few days and make the necessary repairs, which can be done, I think, in a week, when I will be ready for any service that may be required of me.
I am happy in being able to state that the health of the officers and crew is good.
I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient,
JAS. FINDLAY SCHENCK,
Commander, U. S. Navy.
Hon. GIDEON WELLES,
Secretary of the Navy, Washington, D. C.
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There are more interesting Civil War era interactions at Japan--I do believe, that Japan may have been more involved with the Civil War, via US Navy than earlier thought. Certainly; this may give more teeth to your desires to form re-enactment groups; as there are official records to document such interaction with the US Navy--peacefully it seems.
Just some thoughts.
Respectfully submitted for consideration,
M. E. Wolf
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