The Lieutenant Hugh Mckee Memorial Rededication
By Charles H. Bogart · Originally published February 2022 · p. 27
The Lieutenant Hugh Mckee Memorial Rededication by Charles H. Bogart Very few historians know that the U.S. Navy’s Far East Squadron fought a land engagement with Korea in June 1871. Naval forces were landed from the fleet, and an assault made on a Korean coast defense work. The fort was successfully taken, but the officer leading the assault, Lieutenant Hugh McKee of the USS Colorado was wounded and later died on-board USS Monocacy. Lt. Hugh McKee was the son of Colonel William McKee who was killed in 1847 at the Battle of Buena Vista during the Mexican American War while leading the 2nd Kentucky Infantry. Following Lt. McKee’s death his body was returned to his hometown of Lexington, Ky., and interned in Lexington Cemetery. Officers of the Far East Squadron and members of McKee’s Annapolis graduating class raised funds to place a monument at his grave site. In 1873, the monument was erected next to Lt. McKee’s grave. Over the years since 1873, the monument became covered with the grimy remnants of urban air pollution. In 2021, the members of the Sgt. Elijah Marrs Camp 5, Sons of Union Veterans Civil War (SUVCW) raised money to refurbish the McKee monument. The monument was washed and the image of Lt. McKee that graced the monument restored. On November 11, 2021, the restored monument was unveiled to a gathering of members of the SUVCW, McKee descendants, and the general public. The monument has inscribed on the front “Lt. Hugh McKee USN – Born at Lexington Kentucky April 23, 1844 – Killed in the attack upon the forts of Corea Asia made by the U.S. Naval forces June 11, 1871.” The monument’s shaft sits on a hexagonal base that has something carved into each segment. The front segment has the following wording on it “The Citadel has been named Fort McKee in honor of the gallant officer who led the assault upon and gave his life for the honor of his flag – Admiral Rogers report.” The next segment to the right has “The first man in the fort.” The next “Graduated at Naval Academy 1866,” the next “USS Franklin 1866–1868,” the next “USS Canandaguia 1868–1869,”
the next “USS Michigan 1869– 1870,” the next “USS Colorado 1870–1871,” and the last “Died on board USS Monocacy June 11, 1871.” Membership in the SUVCW is open to any male who is a descendant of a soldier, sailor, or marine who served in the Civil War. Charles H. Bogart has a BA from Thomas More University and an MCP from Ohio State University. He is employed as a tour guide at the Fort Boone Civil War Battle Site in Frankfort, Ky., serves as President of the Frankfort Civil War Roundtable, and is a board member of the Kentucky Civil War Roundtable. He has written several books and articles on military and naval history. He is a member of Sgt. Elijah Marrs Camp 5, SUVCW.
