Battle of Noryang Point

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The naval battle of Noryang Point was the final battle of the Imjin War between the allied Korean and Chinese fleets against the Japanese navy. The battle took place on December 16 (November 19 in Lunar calendar), 1598.

The Korean-Chinese side's objective was to stop the Japanese from picking up retreating Japanese troops and destroy their final fleet.

The coalition force of 80 Korean panokseons and 60 Chinese naval ships, led by Admiral Yi Sun-sin and Chen Lin, pursued and destroyed half of the Japanese fleet of 500.Worldnet. [트라팔가 해전의 넬슨제독 Vs. 한산도 대첩의 이순신 장군] However, Admiral Yi suffered a gunshot wound, and died shortly thereafter during the battle.

Contents

1 Prelude
2 The battle

2.1 Admiral Yi's Death

3 Conclusion
4 See also
5 References

Prelude

The Japanese army under Konishi Yukinaga had prepared over 500 ships for their final withdrawal from Korea and had hoped for a peaceful return home to the Tsushima Islands. Konishi decided with the Japanese troops on land to set the rendezvous point at the bay of Sacheon. Unfortunately, the presence of the Korean ships inhibited the Konishi's fleet from reaching Sacheon; therefore, Konishi decided to take his 500 ships and set Suncheon as the new rendezvous point. The way to Suncheon required Konishi to sail through the narrow straits of Noryang Point, where his fleet would ultimately be destroyed.

The battle

After receiving information about movements of Konishi's navy from local fishermen and scouts, Admiral Yi suspected that the Japanese would sail through the Noryang Point. Admiral Yi planned to take advantage of the narrow, rocky straits of Noryang to destroy the Japanese ships. He then asked Chen Lin, the Chinese admiral, to move his Chinese fleet to the open sea west of Noryang Point. There, the Koreans and Chinese positioned their fleet and waited.

Late at night, on December 16, at 2:00 am, Admiral Yi was informed of a huge Japanese fleet anchored in the strait by scouts. Admiral Yi seized the chance and roused the Korean and Chinese soldiers to commence the attack. The Korean and Chinese ships charged across the sea in a shock suprise attack.

While the Japanese forces were fumbling to get into battle positions, Korean and Chinese cannons thundered into the enemy ships. Already the Japanese ships began breaking down. Admiral Yi's strategy of bombarding the enemy ships from a distance again proved to be successful, and the Japanese were offered no chance to board the ships of the coalition. There were no chances to shoot at the Koreans and Chinese with guns either. Konishi and his Japanese captains rallied their fleet and attempted to approach the allied ships, but were repelled with heavy losses. About half of the fleet had sunk by now. The tight straits allowed nearly no movement and the Japanese vessels were stuck as the Korean and Chinese cannons destroyed their ships.

When the Japanese ships suffered significant damage, Chen Lin led the Chinese ships to board the Japanese ships to participate in a fierce melee combat. The Japanese immediately threw grappling hooks under cover of arquebuse fire and began attack with swords. Although their morale having dropped, the Japanese brought heavy casualty to the Chinese with the help of volleys of arquebuses. When Chen Lin's flagship came under attack by Japanese ships, Admiral Yi charged with his Korean fleet into the heat of the battle. The Koreans annihilated the Japanese with rapid fires of mortars, and volleys of cannons at point blank range. To make matters worse for the Japanese, Korean archers began to pepper fire arrows into their ships.

Admiral Yi's Death

By dawn, the allies had sunk nearly all of the enemy ships, and the Japanese began to retreat. Admiral Yi pursued the fleeing fleet, and, right when the victory was certain, Admiral Yi was shot in the left chest by a Japanese arquebusier. Only three people witnessed his death, including his son and nephew. Admiral Yi called his nephew to shield his body and continue to drum the signal for final charge because "he didn't want the morale to drop while the Koreans were winning." Then, Admiral Yi asked his son Hwa and raise him so that he might see the sight of the battle. Smiling, the admiral said, "It is done. Take me... to the internal chamber."p. 110-111. Woongjin Wee-in-jun-gi #14 Yi Sun-shin by Baek Sukgi. (C) 1987 Woongjin Publishing Co., Ltd. It was 31st year of Seonjo, November 19th, 1592. Admiral Yi died in minutes after he was shot.

Conclusion

Out of 500 Japanese ships only 50 survived to limp homep.227 Samurai Invasion: Japan's Korean War 1592-1598 by Stephen Turnbull. Published by Cassell on May 28, 2002. under General Shimazu's lead.Admiral Yi Sun Shin's Turtle Boat Cafe. [The Life of Admiral Yi Sun Shin] The remaining Japanese fleet retreated back to Busan, and on the way, picked up any remaining Japanese troops. The battle concluded the Imjin War. Even after his death, Admiral Yi was named various posthumous titles by later kings, such as the title "Chungmoogong" in 1643AD by King Injo. Shortly after this war, Korea would face another threat from the barbaric tribe Aisin Gioro in the North.

References