Battle of Noryang Point
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Noryang, the last major battle of the Japanese invasions of Korea (1592–1598), was fought between the Japan
ese navy and the combined fleets
of the Joseon
and Ming
navies. It took place in the early morning of 16 December (19 November in Lunar calendar
), 1598 and ended past dawn.
The allied force of about 150 Joseon and Ming Chinese ships, led by Admiral Yi Sun-sin
and Chen Lin
, attacked and either destroyed or captured more than half of the 500 Japanese ships commanded by Shimazu Yoshihiro
, preventing his link-up with Konishi Yukinaga
. The battered survivors of Shimazu's fleet limped back to Pusan and a few days later, left for Japan. At the height of the battle, Admiral Yi was shot with a Japanese arquebus
, and died shortly after.
(和城), on the southeastern Korean coast. However, the wajō could not hold the entire Japanese army so in June 1598, Hideyoshi ordered 70,000 troops of mostly the Japanese Army of the Right
to withdraw back to the archipelago. On 18 September 1598, Toyotomi Hideyoshi
, the Taikō
who instigated the Japanese invasions of Korea (1592–1598), died at Fushimi castle
. Hideyoshi's last orders were for the remaining units of the Japanese army, which garrisoned the network of wajō, to begin their withdrawal as well. However, due to the presence of Joseon and Ming ships, the Japanese garrisons in the wajō could not retreat and stayed in the relative safety of their forts.
The Sunch'on
wajō
was the westernmost Japanese fortress and contained 14,000 troops commanded by Konishi Yukinaga, who was the leader of Japan's vanguard contingent during the first invasion in 1592. Admiral Yi and Chen Lin blocked Konishi from retreat, but Konishi sent many gifts to Chen in an attempt to bribe the Ming commander into lifting the blockade
. At first, Chen agreed to withdraw the allied fleet, but Admiral Yi steadfastly refused to comply. Then Chen Lin suggested that the allied fleet attack smaller, more vulnerable wajō, such as the fort at Namhae
. Admiral Yi refused that strategy as well. Yi countered that Konishi, who commanded one of the largest wajō, would be allowed to escape if the allies were to leave and fight elsewhere.
On 15 December, about 20,000 Japanese troops from the wajō of Sach'on, Goseong
and Namhae boarded 500 ships and began to mass east of the Noryang Strait in an attempt to break the allied blockade of Sunch'on. The overall commander of this relief force was Shimazu Yoshihiro, the leader of the Sach'on wajō.
The objective of the allied fleet was to prevent the link-up of Shimazu's fleet with the fleet of Konishi, then attack and defeat Shimazu's fleet in pitched combat. The objective of Shimazu's fleet was to cross Noryang Strait, link up with Konishi and retreat to Pusan. Shimazu knew that Konishi was making efforts to cause disunity within the allies and hoped that they would be busy elsewhere or still blockading the Sunch'on wajō and thus vulnerable to an attack from their rear.
On 15 December, a huge Japanese fleet was amassed in Sach'on bay, on the east end of the Noryang Strait. Shimazu was not sure where the allied fleet was. It might have been continuing the blockade of Konishi's wajō, on its way to attack an abandoned wajō further east or blocking their way on the western end of Noryang Strait. Admiral Yi, meanwhile, knew exactly where Shimazu was after receiving reports from scouts and local fisherman.
The Joseon fleet consisted of 82 panokseon
multi-decked oared ships. The Ming fleet consisted of six large war junks (true battle vessels most likely used as flagships) that were driven by both oars and sails, 57 lighter war ships driven by oars alone (most likely transports converted for battle use), and two panokseon given to Chen Lin by Admiral Yi. In terms of manpower, the allied fleet had 8,000 sailors and marines under Admiral Yi, 5,000 Ming men of the Guangdong squadron and 2,600 Ming marines who fought aboard Korean ships, a total of almost 16,000 sailors and fighting men. The Ming fleet was divided into two squadrons, the larger of which was commanded by Chen Lin and the smaller by Deng Zilong. The allied fleet was well equipped with cannon, mortars, archers and arquebusiers. The Japanese had 500 ships, but a significant part of their fleet consisted of light transports. The Japanese ships were well armed with arquebuses and also had a number of captured Joseon cannons. The allied fleet was outnumbered, but made up for it with ships which, on average, had superior firepower and heavier, more sturdy construction.
The allied fleet waited for Shimazu on the west end of Noryang strait. The battle began at 02:00 on 16 December. It was, from the very beginning, a desperate affair with the Japanese determined to fight through the allied fleet and the allies equally determined to keep them from breaking through and advancing.
Like Admiral Yi's previous battles, the Japanese were unable to respond effectively as the Korean and Chinese cannons prevented them from moving. The tightness of the Noryang Strait also prevented any maneuverability.
When the Japanese fleet was significantly damaged, Chen Lin ordered his fleet to engage in melee combat with the Japanese. This, however, allowed the Japanese to use their arquebuses and fight using their traditional fighting style of boarding
enemy ships. When Chen Lin's flagship was attacked, Admiral Yi had to order his fleet to engage in hand-to-hand combat as well.
Song Hui-rip, the captain of Admiral Yi's flagship, was struck in the helmet by an arquebus ball and fell unconscious for a time. The vessels got so close that Joseon ships were able to throw burning wood onto the decks of Japanese ships.
Heavy Japanese arquebus fire forced the Chinese sailors to keep their heads low, while the Japanese closed in. Several parties boarded Chen Lin's flagship and in the hand-to-hand fighting that ensued, Chen's own son was injured parrying a sword thrust directed at his father. Seeing Chen's ship in trouble, the Ming left wing commander Deng Zilong and two hundred of his personal guard transferred to a Joseon panokseon (one of two given to the Ming fleet by Admiral Yi) and rowed to his aid. However, several Ming ships, mistaking the panokseon for a Japanese ship, opened fire and disabled it. The stricken panokseon drifted towards the Japanese and they boarded and killed everyone on board, including Deng.
By the middle of the battle, as dawn was about to break, the allied fleet had the upper hand and half of Shimazu's ships were either sunk or captured. It was said that Shimazu Yoshihiro's flagship was sunk and that Shimazu himself was clinging to a piece of wood in the icy water while Chinese grappling hooks were trying to drag him aboard. Japanese ships came to his rescue, pulling him to safety. During the course of the battle, the ships fought from the west end of the strait all the way across to the east end, almost to the open water. The Japanese sustained heavy damage and began to retreat along the south coast of Namhae Island, towards Pusan.
As the Japanese retreated, Admiral Yi ordered a vigorous pursuit. During this time a stray arquebus bullet from an enemy ship struck Admiral Yi near the armpit, on his left side. Sensing that the wound was fatal, the Admiral uttered, "We are about to win the war -- keep beating the war drums. Do not announce my death." and with these words he died.
Only three people witnessed his death including Yi Hoe, his eldest son, Song Hui-rip, and Yi Wan, his nephew. Admiral Yi's son and nephew struggled to regain their composure and carried the Admiral's body into his cabin before others could notice. For the remainder of the battle, Yi Wan wore his uncle's armor and continued to beat the war drum to let the rest of the fleet know that the Admiral's flagship was still in the fight.
Chen's ship was again in trouble and Yi's flagship rowed to his rescue. Yi's flagship fought off and sunk several Japanese ships and Chen Lin called for Yi to thank him for coming to his aid. However, Chen was met by Yi Wan who announced that his uncle was dead. It is said that Chen himself was so shocked that he fell to the ground three times, beating his chest and crying. News of Admiral Yi's death spread quickly throughout the allied fleet.
and other Japanese generals of the Left Army congregated in Pusan and withdrew to Japan on December 21. The last ships sailed to Japan on 24 December, finally bringing an end to seven long years of war.
Admiral Yi Sun-sin's body was brought back to his hometown in Asan
to be buried next to his father, Yi Chong (in accordance to Korean tradition). The court gave him the posthumous rank of Minister of the Right. Shrines, both official and unofficial, were constructed in his honor. In 1643, Admiral Yi was given the title of Chungmugong, "Duke/Lord of Loyal Valor".
Chen Lin gave a eulogy while attending Admiral Yi's funeral. He would then return to Ming China to receive the highest military honors to be bestowed on any Ming commander during the war.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese navy and the combined fleets
Naval fleet
A fleet, or naval fleet, is a large formation of warships, and the largest formation in any navy. A fleet at sea is the direct equivalent of an army on land....
of the Joseon
Joseon Dynasty
Joseon , was a Korean state founded by Taejo Yi Seong-gye that lasted for approximately five centuries. It was founded in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Goryeo at what is today the city of Kaesong. Early on, Korea was retitled and the capital was relocated to modern-day Seoul...
and Ming
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
navies. It took place in the early morning of 16 December (19 November in Lunar calendar
Lunar calendar
A lunar calendar is a calendar that is based on cycles of the lunar phase. A common purely lunar calendar is the Islamic calendar or Hijri calendar. A feature of the Islamic calendar is that a year is always 12 months, so the months are not linked with the seasons and drift each solar year by 11 to...
), 1598 and ended past dawn.
The allied force of about 150 Joseon and Ming Chinese ships, led by Admiral Yi Sun-sin
Yi Sun-sin
Yi Sun-shin was a Korean naval commander, famed for his victories against the Japanese navy during the Imjin war in the Joseon Dynasty, and is well-respected for his exemplary conduct on and off the battlefield not only by Koreans, but by Japanese Admirals as well...
and Chen Lin
Chen Lin (Ming)
Chen Lin Style Name: Chaojue was a Chinese general of the Ming Dynasty. Chen Lin was a native of modern-day Shaoguan in Guangdong province. He quelled the 1562 uprisings in Chaozhou and Yingde in Guangdong province and was subsequently promoted to the Shoubei of Guangdong...
, attacked and either destroyed or captured more than half of the 500 Japanese ships commanded by Shimazu Yoshihiro
Shimazu Yoshihiro
was the second son of Shimazu Takahisa and younger brother of Shimazu Yoshihisa. It had traditionally been believed that he became the seventeenth head of the Shimazu clan after Yoshihisa, but it is currently believed that he let Yoshihisa keep his position....
, preventing his link-up with Konishi Yukinaga
Konishi Yukinaga
Konishi Yukinaga was a Kirishitan daimyō under Toyotomi Hideyoshi. He was the son of a wealthy Sakai merchant, Konishi Ryūsa...
. The battered survivors of Shimazu's fleet limped back to Pusan and a few days later, left for Japan. At the height of the battle, Admiral Yi was shot with a Japanese arquebus
Arquebus
The arquebus , or "hook tube", is an early muzzle-loaded firearm used in the 15th to 17th centuries. The word was originally modeled on the German hakenbüchse; this produced haquebute...
, and died shortly after.
Prelude
Due to a number of setbacks in both land and sea battles, the Japanese armies had been driven back to their network of fortresses, or wajōWaeseong
Japanese castles in Korea are Japanese castles built along the southern shores of Korea during Japanese invasions of Korea between 1592 and 1598 by the Japanese militaries....
(和城), on the southeastern Korean coast. However, the wajō could not hold the entire Japanese army so in June 1598, Hideyoshi ordered 70,000 troops of mostly the Japanese Army of the Right
Japanese Right Army
The Japanese Right Army consisted mainly of the former Second Division led by Kato Kiyomasa, the Third Division led by Kuroda Nagamasa and the Seventh Division led by Mori Hidemoto, who replaced his cousin Terumoto.-Composition:...
to withdraw back to the archipelago. On 18 September 1598, Toyotomi Hideyoshi
Toyotomi Hideyoshi
was a daimyo warrior, general and politician of the Sengoku period. He unified the political factions of Japan. He succeeded his former liege lord, Oda Nobunaga, and brought an end to the Sengoku period. The period of his rule is often called the Momoyama period, named after Hideyoshi's castle...
, the Taikō
Taiko
means "drum" in Japanese . Outside Japan, the word is often used to refer to any of the various Japanese drums and to the relatively recent art-form of ensemble taiko drumming...
who instigated the Japanese invasions of Korea (1592–1598), died at Fushimi castle
Fushimi Castle
', also known as Momoyama Castle or Fushimi-Momoyama Castle, is a castle in Kyoto's Fushimi Ward. The current structure is a 1964 replica of the original built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi.-History:...
. Hideyoshi's last orders were for the remaining units of the Japanese army, which garrisoned the network of wajō, to begin their withdrawal as well. However, due to the presence of Joseon and Ming ships, the Japanese garrisons in the wajō could not retreat and stayed in the relative safety of their forts.
The Sunch'on
Suncheon, South Korea
Suncheon is a city in Jeollanam-do, South Korea. Located in the province of Jeollanam-do,It is a scenic agricultural and industrial city of around 250,000 people near Suncheon Bay. It is located in the southeastern corner of Jeollanam-do, just over an hour south-east of Gwangju...
wajō
Suncheon Japanese Castle
Suncheon Japanese Castle, also known as Suncheon Waeseong , Yegyo , Manghaedae , in Korean, Juntenjō in Japanese, is the only remaining Japanese castle in Jeollanam-do, and the battle field of Yi Sun-sin who tempted Konishi Yukinaga from here to Noryang Point known as Battle of Noryang Point.-...
was the westernmost Japanese fortress and contained 14,000 troops commanded by Konishi Yukinaga, who was the leader of Japan's vanguard contingent during the first invasion in 1592. Admiral Yi and Chen Lin blocked Konishi from retreat, but Konishi sent many gifts to Chen in an attempt to bribe the Ming commander into lifting the blockade
Blockade
A blockade is an effort to cut off food, supplies, war material or communications from a particular area by force, either in part or totally. A blockade should not be confused with an embargo or sanctions, which are legal barriers to trade, and is distinct from a siege in that a blockade is usually...
. At first, Chen agreed to withdraw the allied fleet, but Admiral Yi steadfastly refused to comply. Then Chen Lin suggested that the allied fleet attack smaller, more vulnerable wajō, such as the fort at Namhae
Namhae
Namhae County is a county in South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea.- Geography :Namhae county covers an area of 357 km², covering the main islands of Namhae and Changseon, the smaller islands of Jodo, Hodo and Nodo, and 65 other uninhabited islets.Namhae county also features several peaks; Mangun...
. Admiral Yi refused that strategy as well. Yi countered that Konishi, who commanded one of the largest wajō, would be allowed to escape if the allies were to leave and fight elsewhere.
On 15 December, about 20,000 Japanese troops from the wajō of Sach'on, Goseong
Goseong (Gyeongsangnam-do)
Goseong County is a county in South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea.This county is not to be confused with the county of the same name in Gangwon-do.-Administrative divisions:Goseong-gun is divided into 1 eup and 13 myeon....
and Namhae boarded 500 ships and began to mass east of the Noryang Strait in an attempt to break the allied blockade of Sunch'on. The overall commander of this relief force was Shimazu Yoshihiro, the leader of the Sach'on wajō.
The objective of the allied fleet was to prevent the link-up of Shimazu's fleet with the fleet of Konishi, then attack and defeat Shimazu's fleet in pitched combat. The objective of Shimazu's fleet was to cross Noryang Strait, link up with Konishi and retreat to Pusan. Shimazu knew that Konishi was making efforts to cause disunity within the allies and hoped that they would be busy elsewhere or still blockading the Sunch'on wajō and thus vulnerable to an attack from their rear.
The battle
The Joseon fleet consisted of 82 panokseon
Panokseon
Panokseon was an oar- and sail-propelled ship that was the main class of warship used by the Korean Joseon Dynasty during the late 16th century. The first ship of this class was constructed in 1555...
multi-decked oared ships. The Ming fleet consisted of six large war junks (true battle vessels most likely used as flagships) that were driven by both oars and sails, 57 lighter war ships driven by oars alone (most likely transports converted for battle use), and two panokseon given to Chen Lin by Admiral Yi. In terms of manpower, the allied fleet had 8,000 sailors and marines under Admiral Yi, 5,000 Ming men of the Guangdong squadron and 2,600 Ming marines who fought aboard Korean ships, a total of almost 16,000 sailors and fighting men. The Ming fleet was divided into two squadrons, the larger of which was commanded by Chen Lin and the smaller by Deng Zilong. The allied fleet was well equipped with cannon, mortars, archers and arquebusiers. The Japanese had 500 ships, but a significant part of their fleet consisted of light transports. The Japanese ships were well armed with arquebuses and also had a number of captured Joseon cannons. The allied fleet was outnumbered, but made up for it with ships which, on average, had superior firepower and heavier, more sturdy construction.
The allied fleet waited for Shimazu on the west end of Noryang strait. The battle began at 02:00 on 16 December. It was, from the very beginning, a desperate affair with the Japanese determined to fight through the allied fleet and the allies equally determined to keep them from breaking through and advancing.
Like Admiral Yi's previous battles, the Japanese were unable to respond effectively as the Korean and Chinese cannons prevented them from moving. The tightness of the Noryang Strait also prevented any maneuverability.
When the Japanese fleet was significantly damaged, Chen Lin ordered his fleet to engage in melee combat with the Japanese. This, however, allowed the Japanese to use their arquebuses and fight using their traditional fighting style of boarding
Boarding (attack)
Boarding, in its simplest sense, refers to the insertion on to a ship's deck of individuals. However, when it is classified as an attack, in most contexts, it refers to the forcible insertion of personnel that are not members of the crew by another party without the consent of the captain or crew...
enemy ships. When Chen Lin's flagship was attacked, Admiral Yi had to order his fleet to engage in hand-to-hand combat as well.
Song Hui-rip, the captain of Admiral Yi's flagship, was struck in the helmet by an arquebus ball and fell unconscious for a time. The vessels got so close that Joseon ships were able to throw burning wood onto the decks of Japanese ships.
Heavy Japanese arquebus fire forced the Chinese sailors to keep their heads low, while the Japanese closed in. Several parties boarded Chen Lin's flagship and in the hand-to-hand fighting that ensued, Chen's own son was injured parrying a sword thrust directed at his father. Seeing Chen's ship in trouble, the Ming left wing commander Deng Zilong and two hundred of his personal guard transferred to a Joseon panokseon (one of two given to the Ming fleet by Admiral Yi) and rowed to his aid. However, several Ming ships, mistaking the panokseon for a Japanese ship, opened fire and disabled it. The stricken panokseon drifted towards the Japanese and they boarded and killed everyone on board, including Deng.
By the middle of the battle, as dawn was about to break, the allied fleet had the upper hand and half of Shimazu's ships were either sunk or captured. It was said that Shimazu Yoshihiro's flagship was sunk and that Shimazu himself was clinging to a piece of wood in the icy water while Chinese grappling hooks were trying to drag him aboard. Japanese ships came to his rescue, pulling him to safety. During the course of the battle, the ships fought from the west end of the strait all the way across to the east end, almost to the open water. The Japanese sustained heavy damage and began to retreat along the south coast of Namhae Island, towards Pusan.
Admiral Yi's death
Only three people witnessed his death including Yi Hoe, his eldest son, Song Hui-rip, and Yi Wan, his nephew. Admiral Yi's son and nephew struggled to regain their composure and carried the Admiral's body into his cabin before others could notice. For the remainder of the battle, Yi Wan wore his uncle's armor and continued to beat the war drum to let the rest of the fleet know that the Admiral's flagship was still in the fight.
Chen's ship was again in trouble and Yi's flagship rowed to his rescue. Yi's flagship fought off and sunk several Japanese ships and Chen Lin called for Yi to thank him for coming to his aid. However, Chen was met by Yi Wan who announced that his uncle was dead. It is said that Chen himself was so shocked that he fell to the ground three times, beating his chest and crying. News of Admiral Yi's death spread quickly throughout the allied fleet.
Aftermath
Out of 500 Japanese ships under Shimazu's command, an estimated 150 were able to make it back to Pusan Harbor (However, it is said from other Joseon archives and records that Shimazu's remnants were still being fiercely pursued by the Yi Sun-sin's fleet: only 50 ships of Shimazu's Armada ever managed to escape). Konishi Yukinaga left his fortress on December 16 and his men were able to retreat by sailing through the southern end of Namhae Island, bypassing both the Noryang Strait and the battle. Although he knew the battle was raging, he made no effort to help Shimazu. All the Japanese fortresses were now abandoned and Ming and Joseon ground forces moved up to capture them, claim abandoned supplies and round-up stragglers. Konishi, Shimazu, Katō KiyomasaKato Kiyomasa
was a Japanese daimyō of the Azuchi-Momoyama and Edo period.-Origins and early career:Kiyomasa was born in Owari Province to Katō Kiyotada. Kiyotada's wife, Ito, was a cousin of Toyotomi Hideyoshi's mother. Kiyotada died while his son was still young...
and other Japanese generals of the Left Army congregated in Pusan and withdrew to Japan on December 21. The last ships sailed to Japan on 24 December, finally bringing an end to seven long years of war.
Admiral Yi Sun-sin's body was brought back to his hometown in Asan
Asan
Asan is a city in South Chungcheong Province, South Korea. It is located at , bordering the Seoul Metropolitan Area to the north. Asan has a population of approximately 250,000.Asan is known for its hot springs and is a city of spas....
to be buried next to his father, Yi Chong (in accordance to Korean tradition). The court gave him the posthumous rank of Minister of the Right. Shrines, both official and unofficial, were constructed in his honor. In 1643, Admiral Yi was given the title of Chungmugong, "Duke/Lord of Loyal Valor".
Chen Lin gave a eulogy while attending Admiral Yi's funeral. He would then return to Ming China to receive the highest military honors to be bestowed on any Ming commander during the war.