Siege of Namwon

Siege of Namwon
Hangul	남원전투
Hanja	南原戰鬪
Revised Romanization	Namwon Jeontu
McCune–Reischauer	Namwǒn Chǒnt'u

Siege of Namwon
	Part of Imjin War
Date	August 12–15 1597
Location	Namwon, North Jeolla
Result	Decisive Japanese victory
Belligerents
Japanese Left Army	Korean Garrison Ming army
Commanders and leaders
Ukita Hideie; Konishi Yukinaga; Shimazu Yoshihiro; So Yoshitoshi; Kuroda Nagamasa	Korea:; Yi Bok-nam†; Yi Chun-won; Kim Gyeong-ro†; Ma Eung-bang†; Oh Eung-jeong†; Im Hyeon†; Yi Deok-hoe†; Jeong Gi-won†; Hwang Dae-jung†; Shin Ho†; Jo Gyeong-nam Ming:; Yang Hao[disambiguation needed]; Jiang Biao†; Mao Cheng Xian†
Strength
around 56800	Korea:; 7,000 men; 5,000+ civilians Ming:; 3,000 men
Casualties and losses
minimal	Korea:; almost all killed; one survivor Ming:; unknown

The Siege of Namwon was a battle of the Imjin War (1592-1598). The samurai armies of Japan had invaded the Korean peninsula, and in the summer of 1597 laid siege to the city of Namwon, which was defended by a combined garrison of Korean and Ming Chinese troops. The defenders faced overwhelming odds, and after fierce fighting, the Chinese general entered into secret negotiations with the Japanese commander. In exchange for safe passage for him and his men, they would leave one gate open and undefended. Both sides honored the bargain. The Chinese were allowed to withdraw and the Japanese forces poured into the city. The Koreans fought hard, but were reportedly all killed, with the exception of one survivor.

History

A Japanese Force of 56,000 soldiers led by Ukita Hideie besieged and assaulted Namwon, defended by 10,000 Korean and Chinese Soldiers and at least 5,000 women and children. The city was protected by a wall, constructed in the northern Chinese style, with a shallow dry moat, and corner gun towers. The Koreans wanted to relocate to the nearby mountain fortress because of their knowledge of the terrain. This also would have given them the higher ground. However the Chinese general Yang Yuan demanded the defense of the city claiming that he had fought and won numerous battles in China therefore he knew what strategy would serve them best. He wanted to withstand the siege from within the city walls. He felt more comfortable defending the Chinese style city wall than a Korean style hill top fortress.

As the city was on flat ground, with high ground all around it, the city was immediately placed under arquebus fire from day one, from all sides. General Yi Bok Nam and his cavalry was able to successfully repel the Japanese attack several times. However, with the annual rainfall the flat land was reduced to fields of mud rendering the Korean horsemen and their steeds useless.

As morale plummeted and casualties mounted, the Chinese general Yang Yuan who was defending the South wall with his troops negotiated with the Japanese in a secret meeting. In exchange for a safe retreat for himself and his troops Yang Yuan would give up the south wall and entrance to the Japanese without aggression. When Yang Yuan left abandoning the south wall the Japanese entered through the gates, Yi Bok-nam rode out along with his soldiers and met the Japanese. Every Korean defending Namwon fought to their death. None survived except for one 12-year-old boy who carried the royal seal of the Korean Emperor. He was taken back to Japan where he was adopted and raised within a Japanese household.

Order of battle

Defense

Ming-Chinese forces 3,000 men

Yang Yuan (Hanzi :楊元)
Middle Army : Li Xin Fang(李新芳)
Mao Cheng Xian (Hanzi :毛承先)
Jiang Biǎo(Hanzi : 蔣表)

Korean forces 1,300 men

Yi Bok-nam (Hanja : 李福男, Hangul : 이복남) - 1,000 men
Yi Chun-won (Hanja : 李春元, Hangul : 이춘원)
Sin Ho (Hanja : 申浩, Hangul : 신호)
Kim Gyeong-no (Hanja :金敬老, Hangul : 김경로)

Miscellaneous

Jung Gi-won (Hanja : 鄭期遠, Hangul : 정기원)
Oh Ung-jung (Hanja : 吳應鼎 or 吳應井, Hangul : 오응정)
Im Hyeon (Hanja : 林鉉 or 任鉉, Hangul : 임현)
Yi Deok-hoe (Hanja : 李德恢, Hangul : 이덕회)

Japanese forces

According to the map of the Siege of Namwon drawn by Kawakami Hisakuni, the Japanese Left Army established their lines at Namwon on the four directions.

Timeline

The order of battle of the Japanese Left Army. The position of units on... . The armies are listed north to south.

Operation Zone	Japanese Left Army	Joseon - Ming Army	Comments & Events
Northern Sector	Kurushima Michifusa 来島通総 Kato Yoshiaki 加藤嘉明 Mōri Yoshinari 毛利吉成 2000 men Shimazu Yoshihiro 島津義弘 10000 men	Yi Bok-nam 李福男 Kim Gyeong-no 金敬老	August 13 th : First Attack led by Kato Yoshiaki and Shimazu against the northern Gate Kato Yoshiaki had been ordered not to attack but to move even north from the castle to guard against a possible relieving army coming from Jeonju after defeating a Ming army under Chen Yuzhong leading 2000 men.
Western sector	Konishi Yukinaga 小西行長 7000 men So Yoshitoshi 宗義智 1000 men Matsuura Shigenobu 松浦鎮信 3000 men Arima Harunobu 有馬晴信 2000 men Omura Yoshiaki 大村喜前 1000 men Goto Sumiharu 五島純玄 700 men	Mao Cheng Xian 毛承先
Eastern sector	11 generals : Hachisuka Iemasa 蜂須賀家政 7,200 men	Li Xin Fang 李新芳 Yang Yuan 楊元	August 16 : Hachisuka launched his attack, Li Xin Fang is killed and Yang Yuan retreated
Southern sector	Ukita Hideie 宇喜多秀家 10000 men Wakizaka Yasuharu 脇坂安治 Todo Takatora 藤堂高虎 Oda Katsuyoshi	Jiang Biǎo 蔣表	August 15 at 10 p.m. : Final Assault : Ukita Hideie launched his attack

Present remains

In Namwon, there is a small section of restored wall today, near the train station. However, the only true remains of the wall is just north of the train station, in the small farm houses, where large stone piles are still found (as of 2002).

External links