In the 20th year of Wanli, the first year of Wenlu in Japan, October 29th.
The two generals of the Korean Navy, Yi Sun-shin and Li Yiqi, led the fleet to set sail from Yeosu Port. They met up with Won-gyun's fleet the next day. The three naval forces gathered together. At this time, the total number was seventy-four warships, and There are ninety-two ships and five turtle ships, totaling 117 warships, which can be called the main combat force of the North Korean navy.
The fleet passed through Daepo, Seopyeongpo, Jeolyeongdo, etc., and arrived near Busanpo on the fourth day of November. Yi Sun-shin saw from a distance that there didn't seem to be many enemy ships in Busan Po, and he couldn't help but feel doubtful, so he ordered Zheng Yun to investigate carefully.
Zheng Yun immediately took action after receiving the order. Soon he found out that there were only a dozen Japanese small and medium-sized warships anchored in Busan Po, and the rest of the Japanese troops were all on the shore.
Zheng Yun said with great joy: "Before departure, I heard that there were more than two hundred Japanese ships in Busan Po, which are considered powerful enemies. But judging from the current situation, these Japanese pirates must be worried that their warships will be destroyed by our army if they are anchored in the port. They have already evacuated Busan in a hurry! Fortunately, there are still more than a dozen ships that have not been able to evacuate.
However, since the Japanese pirates are so afraid of our army, there will be no suspense in this battle. However, our army still needs to remember the military order. After entering the port, it first kills the enemy pirates on the shore with all its strength, and pay attention to the Japanese pirate iron cannon. As for when to land to recapture Busan, all ships and departments must obey the orders of the chief water envoy. "The generals suddenly accepted the order.
In Busan City, Gugui Jialong saw that the North Korean navy was approaching Busanpo, and immediately ordered the entire army to only conduct scattered fire to lure all the North Korean fleet into the port.
Sure enough, pioneer Zheng Yun saw that the pace of Japanese pirate resistance was very chaotic, and without doubting his presence, he immediately ordered the vanguard fleet to break into Busanpo, and Yi Sun-shin followed closely behind.
Yi Sun-shin secretly thought: Busan is an important place for Japanese pirates, so why don't we see a large number of Japanese ships anchored? Although there are many Japanese soldiers here, the resistance is scattered and scattered. What is the reason? After a second thought, I thought that it would be better to concentrate our combat power and artillery to destroy the fortifications first, and then see if we can land for landing operations.
So Yi Sun-shin passed the military order, and the turtle ships were used as cover. The lords followed up and entered Busan. Three naval warships entered Busan one after another and exchanged fire with the Japanese army.
Seeing that most of the North Korean fleet had poured into Pusanpo, General Laishima sent a signal to Gugui Jialong. Jiuki Jialong was convinced and immediately ordered the entire army to fight back with all their strength.
The three-sided shore defense of Busan used the dangerous walls, bunkers, narrow rooms and other firepower points to wildly fire iron cannons at the North Korean navy. At one time, more than thousands of iron bullets were sprayed out like a rain like a waterfall in each round. The condescending firepower was instantaneous. Then all the Korean warships were covered.
The Korean warships were all covered by large cannon fire, and the soldiers ashore were named with muskets. There were many casualties on both land and sea. The newly reinforced coastal defense artillery from Busanpo and the captured North Korean artillery used their power to attack the North Korean warships violently. In addition to damaging the hull, General Kushima also ordered to focus on bombarding the masts and oars of the North Korean warships. making it immovable or inconvenient to move.
The North Korean navy also divided into four teams to fight back with artillery and fire arrows against the Japanese troops. Five turtle boats were also ordered to approach the shore and kill the enemy invaders. The entire Pusanpo was filled with smoke, flames were soaring into the sky, killing sounds were everywhere, and there were bursts of gunfire. The smoke and fire almost enveloped the entire Pusanpo, making it even difficult for the two armies to easily identify each other's positions, and soon they turned into a random shooting battle.
But even so, the Japanese army relied on its solid fortifications and Japanese-style city defense system with dangerous structures. The overall casualties were almost negligible compared to the North Korean navy.
Although more than a dozen Japanese warships staying in the harbor had long been sunk by North Korean artillery, it did not matter to the Japanese because these ships were all broken ships that had suffered heavy damage in previous battles and were difficult to be completely repaired. They were just for decoration. It's just useless as a target ship, so there's no need to feel bad.
Seeing that the North Korean naval forces had been contained, Kuuki Yoshilong concluded that victory was in sight, so he once again ordered the entire army to keep firing and pay attention to the company and section rhythm. During the continuous fighting, the Korean warships were forced to the shore several times, and the Japanese troops came close to shoot and get into melee. However, they were ultimately unable to defeat them. The troops that landed several times were killed and annihilated by the Japanese troops.
At this time, Yi Sun-shin knew that he had been tricked and ordered the entire army to withdraw from Busan. However, at this time, the generals and soldiers of the Korean Navy at all levels persisted in fighting under the intensive firepower of the Japanese army. Many casualties were already suffered. For example, pioneer Zheng Yun was unfortunately killed while commanding the battle. He was shot by a Japanese iron cannon and died on the spot.
When Yi Sun-shin saw that Zheng Yun had died in battle, he strictly ordered to seize Zheng Yun's body and leave the port. Seeing the order to retreat, Gyeongsang Dowon led the fleet to withdraw from Busan first, followed by Li Yiqi who led the fleet to withdraw.
Vice Admiral Song Hee-yeol advised Yi Sun-shin to evacuate as soon as possible. Yi Sun-shin also knew that the navy had been defeated and would be captured or shot by the enemy if he did not withdraw from Busan, so he had no choice but to withdraw from Busanpo with the remaining fleet.
Seeing that the North Korean naval forces had withdrawn from Busan, Jiugui Jialong strictly ordered the entire army not to pursue them. He immediately cleaned up the battlefield and collected North Korean damaged warships and artillery ammunition. When he further investigated and learned that the North Korean navy had indeed withdrawn, and seeing such a great victory, he couldn't help laughing three times, and then ordered to immediately report the merit to General Ukita Hideie and His Highness Taikaku, and prepare a big banquet to celebrate the victory.
In this battle, the Korean navy suffered heavy losses in warships and numerous casualties. Several generals, including Vice Admiral Zheng Yun, were killed in the battle. Yi Sun-sin and the three naval forces each returned to their base camp. Yi Sun-sin led the Jeolla Province Zuosui Battalion back to Yeosu Port and served as a defense for Zheng. A memorial ceremony was held to commemorate the fallen soldiers.
Zheng Yun was bold, brave and familiar with the art of war. He was always relied upon by Yi Sun-shin and was loved by the soldiers. All the soldiers in the army were deeply saddened by Zheng Yun's death.
Yi Sun-shin felt bitterly that he underestimated the enemy and advanced rashly, failing to see through the Japanese army's treacherous plan, which caused heavy losses to the Korean three-way naval forces. His beloved general Zheng Yun also died because of him. He couldn't help but burst into tears and was heartbroken. He vowed to avenge Zheng Yun and all the fallen soldiers. avenge.
The next day, he sent out reconnaissance ships to gather information and look for fighter planes so that he could fight again for revenge. However, the Japanese army began to implement the strategy of joint land and sea defense in various ports, concentrating a large number of warships for transportation and escort, but was unwilling to easily fight any decisive battles at sea.
Yi Sun-shin led the navy to attack several times but failed to win, and the gains were extremely small. He was unable to regain the occupied ports and cut off the sea routes. In desperation, he had to temporarily abandon the attack, and the naval battle fell into a low point.
At the same time, in order to seize Jeolla Province in North Korea as soon as possible, the Japanese army must occupy Jinju City, the gateway to Jeolla Province. However, if they want to capture Jinju, they must first attack Changwon. Therefore, General Ukita Hideie issued a new military order, requiring The Seventh Army and the Ninth Army marched together to attack Changwon first and then Jinju.
As a result, Asano Nagamasa of the Ninth Army ordered Hosokawa Tadayoshi, Hasegawa Shuichi and Toyotomi Genealogy Yokimura Shigensugu of the Seventh Army to lead a total of nearly 20,000 troops to gather in Busan.
Twenty thousand Japanese troops were temporarily resting in Busan, repairing their swords, armor, and guns, practicing their skills, and making fires to cook. The samurai generals were also recuperating. Hosokawa Tadaki, Hasegawa Shuichi, and Kimura Shigeji met. After each bowed, they sat aside. Hosokawa Tadaki said: "Since Yi Sun-shin was repulsed in Busan, land and sea defenses have also been implemented in various ports. Then it will be difficult for Yi Sun-shin to make a difference. Now that our army has a steady supply of supplies, Busan is refreshing and refreshing, which makes people forget to leave. It is a pity that the war is not over. Now is not the time for us to linger and forget to return. Soon we will go to Jin State advance—what’s the report from Jinzhou?”
Hasegawa Shuichi has been sending spies back and forth to investigate since he received the military order to attack Jinzhou. At this time, he immediately replied: "Before going to Jinzhou, we must capture Changwon first. There are about two thousand Changwon defenders. The name of the defender is Liu Chongren was a veteran general, but most North Korean generals were incompetent, and Changwon City was small and easy to attack, so it was not a concern.
However, the Jinzhou garrison is Jin Shimin, a subordinate of Liu Chongren. I heard that this person has some talents, and our army needs to pay attention to him. As for the situation of Jinzhou's garrison, it is not clear yet. It is only known that in addition to the official army, there are many rebels included. According to preliminary exploration, there are more than 7,000 people. In addition, when our army attacked Jinzhou, whether the other rebels in Gyeongsang Province would provide reinforcements also added a lot of variables to the battle. "
Kimura Shigeji, who was more concerned about the Korean rebels, immediately took over and said: "I have also heard that rebels are swarming across North Korea, and there are even monk soldiers appearing. These monk soldiers are very powerful, especially in Gyeongsang Province, where the activities are the most frequent. His Highness Taige Both I and His Highness Guan Bai are very concerned, I wonder if this is the truth?"
Hasegawa Shuichi replied: "That's right. Although the North Korean rebels have broken armor and have not undergone hard training, their fighting spirit and fighting spirit are ten times stronger than the North Korean official army, and now they are no longer just They insist on defending the city, but they are elusive and accustomed to sneak attacks. Although our army has carried out numerous raids and eliminated many strongholds, they are still a very troublesome group of people.
One of them is Guo Zaiyou, the leader of the rebels in Gyeongsang Province. He has hindered our army's activities in Gyeongsang Province. His Highness Terumoto Mori and His Highness Kuroda Kanbei both personally presided over the encirclement and suppression campaign. Although it was effective, it was still difficult to eliminate them. .
It is estimated that this person will also appear during the attack on Jinzhou. I am also planning to take advantage of this opportunity to annihilate Guo Zaiyou's troops in one fell swoop. In this way, Gyeongsang Province will also be much more stable. "
Hosokawa Tadaki said with a smile: "The North Korean official army and the rebel army are just lucky for a while, and the gap in strength is still difficult to make up. However, I am also curious about their combat power. It is said that although His Highness Kobayakawa Takakage's sixth division The battle will be won, but it will be difficult to enter Jeolla Province. Therefore, attacking Jinju this time is not only crucial to whether we can capture Jeolla Province, but it is also crucial to us."
Kimura Shigesuke was already hungry and thirsty to join the war as soon as possible, and then said: "This time I have brought 3,500 people to help. Your Highness Guanbai also solemnly told me not to lose the face of the Toyotomi family... I am willing to fight in this battle. As a vanguard, we will capture Changwon first for everyone! In addition, since His Highness Hasegawa has basically found out the situation, it is better for us to set off immediately without further delay."
Hasegawa Shuichi quickly advised: "Your Highness Kimura, don't be impatient. You are a close minister of His Highness Guan Bai and a retainer of the Toyotomi clan. You have a noble status. How can you be put in danger? Even if His Highness Guan Bai wants you to establish merit again, then There is no need to rush for a while, Changwon is just a small town, it can be beaten with a drum, and it is not worth mentioning. To use the words of the Tang Dynasty to describe it, it is "killing a chicken with a bull's knife." Our success was in the battle of Jinju. At that time, His Highness Kimura A moment of meritorious service.”
Hosokawa Tadaki also echoed: "Yes, yes, it is easy to conquer Changwon. Conquering Jinju is a great achievement. Then we will march straight into Jeolla Province to capture the entire territory of Jeolla Province, and then destroy the Korean rebels in Gyeongsang Province and Jeolla Province. We will All three of them will receive supreme glory!
By the way, Jeolla Province was originally under the jurisdiction of the Sixth Division. Now that the Sixth Division has marched northward, all of Jeolla Province will be ours. By occupying Jeolla Province, the food supplies for the army will be extremely generous. It will be beneficial to the implementation of our army’s next military strategy. "
After hearing this, Kimura Shigesuke felt that it was reasonable, so he gave up the attack on Changwon for a while, and instead ordered people to bring wine and food to share with Hosokawa Tadayoki and Hasegawa Hide, as a pre-congratulation for a great victory.
Jinju is known in North Korea as a fortress like Pyongyang, but in the eyes of the Japanese army, the North Korean soldiers were weak and incompetent. Even if they were stationed in the fort, it was not worth mentioning to the Japanese army.
In addition, Jinju is the gateway to Jeolla Province. For the Japanese army, it plays a role in promoting many plans such as seizing grain production areas, ensuring supplies, and increasing mainland and coastal defense. Therefore, the Seventh Army and the Ninth Army only have 20,000 troops, intending to rely on The powerful military force conquered it in one fell swoop.
In Changwon at this moment, Gyeongsang-do Right Army Commander Yoo Chong-in heard that the Japanese army seemed to be mobilizing in large numbers. He couldn't help but feel uneasy and ordered the Changwon garrison to strengthen defenses day and night.
On October 23, before the Battle of Busanpo broke out, the Japanese army of 20,000 men had already reached the gates of Changwon Castle. Liu Chongren ordered the army and the rebels to join forces to block the attack, but the North Korean bows and arrows were blocked by the Japanese Muzha shield wall. The Japanese army took the opportunity to fire large cannons and iron cannons. The counterattack on the Changwon City Wall was gradually suppressed by Japanese firepower.
Seeing that North Korea's counterattack had been suppressed, Hosokawa Tadayaki ordered Otsutsu and the front team's iron artillery to cover, and gradually moved towards the city gate, forcing them not far from the wall. The Japanese army then engaged in an offensive and defensive tug-of-war with the North Korean army. After a short stalemate, the Changwon city gate was breached, and Japanese troops poured into Changwon in large numbers to attack North Korean soldiers and civilians.
The Korean army and the rebels fought desperately, relying on the streets and houses in the city to resist step by step. However, they were still not as well-trained and well-coordinated as the Japanese army, and they were weak. They soon lost more than half of them, and almost all the rebels who participated in the battle were killed. Seeing that the situation was irreversible, Liu Chongren led the remaining 500 troops to retreat, and the Japanese army took advantage of the situation and captured Changwon City.
Liu Chongren retreated all the way to Jinzhou and rushed to the gate of Jinzhou City to call for the door to be opened. However, Jinzhou guard Jin Shimin couldn't help but worry: "I have been preparing for the defense in Jinzhou for a long time. Liu Chongren's defeated general will include him in his duties." However, as a superior officer, he will inevitably cause chaos in command. If Jinzhou is not protected, I will not be able to escape the blame. No matter what, Jinzhou must be protected first." So Jin Shimin issued an order prohibiting Liu Chongren's troops from entering Jinzhou.
Yoo Chong-in was surprised when he saw Jinzhou's delay in opening the city gate, so he shouted at the city gate: "I am Liu Chong-in, the envoy of the right army of Gyeongsang Province, why don't I open the city gate? The Japanese army has captured Changwon and is about to approach Jinzhou. Could it be that Is it possible for both the army and the people of Jinzhou to obey the Japanese?"
The soldiers at the city gate replied: "Liu Bingji forgives the sin. I have received military orders. In order to prevent Japanese pirates and spies from getting in, all soldiers and civilians are strictly prohibited from entering and leaving Jinzhou. I also ask the soldiers to move elsewhere."
After hearing this, Liu Chongren became furious and scolded: "You bastard! I am the right-wing military envoy of Gyeongsang Province. How dare you disobey my military orders? Open the city immediately. Anyone who disobeys the order will be beheaded immediately. If there is any doubt and disobedience, They will all be punished as rebellion!"
Who dares to disobey someone who would normally say something like this? However, an accident happened, and the city gate's answer remained the same, insisting not to open the Jinzhou gate.
Liu Chongren was furious and cursed: "When facing a national crisis, the top and bottom should work together, and the army and the people should work together. How can you hold Jinzhou if you openly disobey military orders? Where is Jin Shimin? Tell him to come and see me immediately!" The city gate replied: Jin Shimin I am busy with official duties and cannot meet each other.
Liu Chongren yelled and scolded many times to no avail, and he was filled with resentment, but he had no choice but to lead his troops to turn their horses around and counterattack Changyuan with the intention of recapturing it. The Japanese soldiers were all very surprised when they saw that the defeated Korean soldiers came back to fight again. However, they were surprised, so they immediately turned to defense.
There was no suspense in this battle. Japanese iron cannons were all over the city, and there were even several large cannons to cheer up. It was difficult for the Korean army to get close, and casualties increased rapidly. Seeing the opportunity coming, Kimura Shigeji led 3,000 troops out of the city to defeat the enemy. There was no suspense in this battle. The North Korean army was wiped out in just one stick of incense. Liu Chongren himself was shot and fell to the ground, and was immediately killed by Kimura Shigeji. Hereby stab him to death.
Seeing that the war was over, Hasegawa Shuichi ordered the Japanese troops to go out of the city to clean up the battlefield. After saving the soul of Liu Chongren, he sent a small force to explore Jinzhou intelligence.
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