Battle of Jiksan (WIP) (Patreon)

Note to supporters: I wrote this article with the primary aim to provide a more comprehensive recounting of Battle of Jiksan than what is currently available on the English-speaking internet (and presumably to debunk some myths). Thus unlike my other Patreon supporter contents this will be made public in my blog on a later date. That being said, I will take an update-as-I-write approach to this Patreon article, and will only post the article to my blog upon completion. I will also write some extra context and contents for this battle that will remain exclusive to my Patreon supporters in another post.

Much of the information in this article are taken from the well-researched 《万历朝鲜战争全史》 authored by Zhu Er Dan (朱尔旦), a.k.a. the critic of Samuel Hawley's book, coupled with some of my own researches. I highly recommend anyone interested in learning more about Imjin War (and can read Chinese) to buy a copy of this book.

Prelude

The completely destruction of Joseon navy during Battle of Chilcheollyang thoroughly upended the defence landscape of Korea. Joseon army, still reeling from the devastation of the previous Japanese invasion, could not offer any meaningful resistance to the renewed Japanese onslaught, and the responsibility of defending Korea thus disproportionately fell on the shoulders of Ming army, of which there were only 12,000 Ming troops scattered around Korea at the time.

Japanese army met its first serious opposition at Namwon, which guards a critical mountain pass connecting Gyeongsang Province and Jeolla Province. Unfortunately, it was impossible for 3,000 Ming troops and 700 Joseon troops in a poorly fortified city to resist a besieging force of 56,800 troops, and Siege of Namwon ended in Japanese victory in just four days.

The fall of Namwon spooked the Ming garrison at Jeonju to immediately abandon the city and retreat to Gongju. From then on, Japanese army met no further challenge and was able to rampage through Jeolla and Chungcheong Province unopposed. The vast majority of Joseon leadership and military garrisons of the two provinces abandoned their duty and fled, and Japanese troops actually spent more time looting, torching villages and rooting out Korean refugees hiding in the mountains to be massacred than fighting (they were far more violent and cruel during the second invasion than the first). As Japanese army steadily drew closer to Hanseong (present-day Seoul), capital city of Joseon Kingdom, Ming armies at Gongju and Chunju were also recalled to Hanseong to bolster its defence.

To prevent Japanese army from marching straight to Hanseong without anyone standing in its way, Ming military commissioner of Korea Xing Jie (邢玠), who was at Liaodong at the time, issued an order to Military superintendent Ma Gui (麻貴), asking him to send Ming army to defend Jiksan and Cheonan City. Upon receiving his order, Ma Gui dispatched Jie Sheng, Po Gui, Yang Deng Shang, Niu Bo Ying to lead 2,000 Ming cavalry (which were all Ming army could spare at the time) and head south to intercept the Japanese army. Unfortunately, due to time-delay in relaying messages between Liaodong and Hanseong, Cheonan had already fallen into Japanese hands. As thus, Ming army wasn't able to enter Cheonan as originally planned, and had to set up an ambush between Jiksan and Cheonan.

The Battlefield

Battle of Jiksan was a sudden encounter between Ming army and Japanese army that happened at roughly 4 km south of Jiksan.

Belligerents

Ming army

Commanders: Jie Sheng (解生), Po Gui (頗貴), Yang Deng Shang (楊登山), Niu Bo Ying (牛伯英)

Total strength: 15 Ming officers, 2,000 Ming cavalry

Casualties: 85+ died*

*Note: Based on the number of noses collected by Kuroda Nagamasa after the battle. Nevertheless, Ming army may or may not suffered additional casualties depending on whether it fought Mōri Hidemoto's reinforcement or not.

Japanese army

Kuroda Nagamasa's army

Vanguard force

Commander: Kuroda Naoyuki (黒田直之), Kuriyama Toshiyasu (栗山利安), Keya Takehisa (毛屋武久)

Strength: Unknown, but in the range of 2,000+

Scout

Commander: Gotō Mototsugu (後藤基次), Kuroda Kazushige (黒田一成), Nomura Sukenao (野村祐直)

Strength: Unknown

Reorganised full army

Centre: Kuroda Nagamasa (黒田長政)

Strength: 2,000 troops.

1st Left Commander: Gotō Mototsugu (後藤基次), Kuroda Kazushige (黒田一成)

Strength: Unknown

2nd Left Commander: Kuroda Naoyuki (黒田直之), Kiriyama Nobuyuki (桐山信行)

Strength: Unknown

1st Right Commander: Mori Tomonobu (母里友信), Kuriyama Toshiyasu (栗山利安), Kuroda Toshitaka (黒田利高)

Strength: Unknown

2nd Right Commander: Inoue Kurobei (井上九郎兵衛), Nomura Sukenao (野村祐直)

Strength: Unknown

Total strength: 5,000 troops

Casualties: 500+ killed, including 20+ officers*, 29-31 heads collected by Ming army

*Note: Based on a testimony by a Mōri Hidemoto's soldier captured on a later date. However, a testimony under duress may not be all that reliable.

Mōri Hidemoto's reinforcement

Vanguard force

Commander: Shishido Mototsugu (宍戶元續)

Strength: 2950 troops

Main army

Commander: Mōri Hidemoto (毛利秀元)

Strength: Unknown

Total strength: Unknown but around 25,000+

Casualties: Unknown but likely negligible

The Battle

On October 17, 1597, the vanguard of Kuroda Nagamasa's army led by Kuroda Naoyuki, Kuriyama Toshiyasu and Keya Takehisa left Cheonan City before dawn and marched north towards Jiksan. At the time, the Japanese didn't know about Ming ambush, although Kuroda Nagamasa's vanguard was able to detect the presence of Ming army before being detected in return.

Mistakenly believed that the numbers of Ming troops to be far greater than they really were, commanders of the vanguard fell into indecision. Kuroda Naoyuki wanted to retreat to rendezvous with Kuroda Nagamasa's main army before deciding the next course of action, however he was objected by Keya Takehisa, who rightly pointed out that it was impossible to outrun Ming cavalry by foot. Keya Takehisa instead suggested that the vanguard should launch a surprise attack against the still-unsuspecting Ming army, then quickly retreat amidst the chaos. He also added that Ming troops were well-protected by bullet-proof iron shields, thus matchlock guns should only be used to signal and cover the charge (with gun smoke), and the battle should be decided in close combat. In the end Keya Takehisa's suggestion was accepted by other commanders.

On the Ming side, Ming troops actually detected Kuroda Nagamasa's vanguard as well. Unfortunately, they mistook them for Koreans as Japanese troops of the vanguard were dressed in white, and did not react to their approach until these "Koreans" opened fire at them. Caught in a surprise, Ming troops were momentarily pushed back, but quickly regained composure as Kuroda Nagamasa's vanguards attempted to disengage and began a fierce counterattack.

Meanwhile, Kuroda Nagamasa, who departed Cheonan later, was alerted by the sounds of gunshots coming from the direction of his vanguards. Hoping that his vanguards were merely using matchlock guns for hunting, Kuroda Nagamasa nevertheless ordered Gotō Mototsugu, Kuroda Kazushige and Nomura Sukenao to scout ahead due to a sneaking suspicion that the vanguards had run into troubles. The scouts quickly arrived at the scene and saw that Kuroda Nagamasa's suspicion had indeed become reality—Ming cavalry already defeated the vanguards and chased them over a bridge, and both armies entered a stand-off at either side of the bridge.