author
Robert Wilson Shufeldt
1822–1895
A U.S. naval officer, explorer, and diplomat, he is best remembered for helping open Korea to formal relations with the West through the 1882 Shufeldt Treaty. His long career also took him through Civil War service, merchant marine work, and major surveys tied to global trade routes.
1 Audiobook
The American Navy and Liberia An Address before the American Colonization Society, January 18, 1876
by Robert Wilson Shufeldt
About the author
Born in Red Hook, New York, in 1822, he built a wide-ranging career in and around the sea. He served in the United States Navy, spent a period in the merchant marine, and later returned to naval service, eventually reaching the rank of rear admiral.
His work stretched well beyond ordinary command duty. He served as U.S. consul-general to Cuba during the Civil War era, commanded ships including the USS Wachusett and USS Ticonderoga, and took part in surveying and exploration projects connected with possible canal routes across Central America.
He is most often remembered for negotiating the 1882 Shufeldt Treaty with Korea, the first treaty between Korea and a Western nation. Papers preserved by the Library of Congress describe him as a naval officer, explorer, and diplomat, which neatly captures the mix of roles that defined his life until his death in 1895.