In 1854, USS Susquehanna visited Shanghai, China. (USS Susquehanna was part of the fleet commanded by Commodore Perry visiting Japan.) (This is the same battleship that Hong Seok Woo took passage to the United States.) Its captain was Frank Buchanan who corresponded with the Tai Ping (rebels) force in Nanking (Nanjing), along the Yangtze river. The Tai Ping occupying troops were not familiar with the flags of foreign vessels, and constantly suspicious that the Ching (Qing) Government forces might be traveling in their wake or under their protection, fire warning shots as USS Susquehanna approached Nanking, along the Yangtze.
That prompted the upset commanding officer of USS Susquehanna to write a communication to the Chinese Rebels.
"Sir, ------
I will tomorrow morning send a boat on shore at 11 a.m. for the answer to my communication delivered to you today by an officer of this ship, and I have to insist that this answer shall contain a full and satisfactory apology for the heedless and insulting demonstration, of your battery, on shore this morning. If the fullest and the most satisfactory apology is not made by you in response to my demand, I shall not hesitate on my return from Nanjing, to resist the insult offered to the Flag of the U.S.
At one o'clock tomorrow I shall weigh anchor and proceed to Nanjing, and then represent to your Ruler Taiping-Wan the insolence of those at Chin-Kiang-Fu, who have been so insensible to the properties and obligations of friendly natural intercourse, and the respect which the Flag of the U.S. must always command, more especially from those whom we have fully informed of the friendly and neutral character of that Flag, as you were by me, in my communication of this morning.
I send you here enclosing a drawing of the Flag of the U.S., that you may never mistake it thereafter.
Very respectfully
Your obdt. Svt.
Frank L. Buchanan (1854)"
{Source: Caleb Carr, The Devil Soldier: The story of Frederick Townsend Ward, Random House, New York}
Time passed, and eight years later........
This time, America was involved in her own Civil War.
In 1862, down in Hampton Roads (a sea lane), another Naval History was made. The same Frank Buchanan (Franklin Buchanan) commanded the Rebel ironclad CSS Virgina (former USS Merrimack), ramming the U.S. frigate Cumberland with U.S. Flag flying, and firing and burning the U.S. frigate Congress with U.S. Flag flying. And on the next day, he dual with the Union ironclad USS Monitor.
Eight years later Dennis, Mr. Buchanan would put aside his advice to the Chinese and fire on the stars and stripes himself.