㉔ The Battle of Jangmunpo: The Battle Left Off the List of 23

Admiral Yi is often called “the undefeated commander of 23 battles, 23 victories.”

But look closely at that list, and the Battle of Jangmunpo, fought in the fall of 1594, is nowhere to be found.

Why was this battle left off the list of 23?

In this post, I want to look into what actually happened at the Battle of Jangmunpo.

Gwak Jae-u and Kim Deok-ryeong Arrive by Sea

On September 26, unexpected figures arrived at Admiral Yi's camp.

At dawn, Gwak Jae-u and Kim Deok-ryeong arrived at Gyeonnaeryang, so I sent Bak Chun-yang to ask the reason for their crossing; they said the supreme commander (Gwon Yul) had issued orders for them to join forces with the navy. (Nanjung Ilgi, September 26, 1594)

The righteous-army generals Gwak Jae-u and Kim Deok-ryeong had brought land forces to join with the navy. The next day, they formally agreed on a plan and each headed off to their assigned position. A joint land-and-sea operation was underway.

The Battle of Jangmunpo Begins

On September 29, the fleet headed for Jangmunpo.

The location of Jangmunpo harbor today

We set out and pushed hard into the waters off Jangmunpo, but the enemy forces held their position on rugged high ground and would not come out. They had built fortifications on both peaks with raised towers, and refused to come out and fight. We destroyed two enemy ships in the lead, but the crews fled down to land. We could only smash and burn the empty ships. (Nanjung Ilgi, September 29, 1594)

The Japanese had dug in on the high ground and refused to come down. All the Joseon navy managed to burn were two empty ships with no one aboard.

On October 1, Admiral Yi went with the Chungcheong naval commander into Yeongdeungpo, but again the enemy would not come out.

The vicious enemy kept their ships moored along the shore, and not a single one came out to give battle. (Nanjung Ilgi, October 1, 1594)

That evening, though, as the Sado No. 2 ship was being tied up near shore, a small Japanese boat approached and threw fire onto it. The Joseon ship very nearly caught fire.

The fire did not catch and was put out, but it was infuriating. (Nanjung Ilgi, October 1, 1594)

On October 2, thirty vanguard ships were sent ahead to scout the enemy's position and returned.

On October 3, Admiral Yi personally led his officers to Jangmunpo early in the day, ready to fight all day long, but once again the enemy would not come out.

The enemy forces, out of fear, would not come out to give battle. (Nanjung Ilgi, October 3, 1594)

On October 4, a full-scale operation was finally carried out in coordination with Gwak Jae-u's and Kim Deok-ryeong's land forces.

I made an agreement with Gwak Jae-u, Kim Deok-ryeong, and the others, selecting several hundred soldiers to go ashore and climb the hills, and sent the vanguard ships ahead toward Jangmunpo to go in and out, provoking a fight. In the afternoon, I led the main body forward, and as land and sea forces answered each other, the enemy forces panicked, losing their nerve and fleeing in confusion east and west. (Nanjung Ilgi, October 4, 1594)

With land and sea forces pressing together, the Japanese panicked and scattered. But the land troops, seeing the enemy brandishing their swords, quickly retreated back down to the ships, and a direct engagement never actually took place. That night, a royal messenger arrived bearing sable pelts sent by the king -- but on the battlefield itself, there was nothing much to show for it.

A Note Saying “Nothing to Fight Over”

Two days later, on October 6, the Japanese responded in an unexpected way.

I sent the vanguard early toward the Japanese stronghold at Jangmunpo, and the Japanese wrote out a note and stuck it into the ground; it read, ‘Japan intends to discuss peace with Ming China, so there is nothing for us to fight over.’ (Nanjung Ilgi, October 6, 1594)

After nearly ten days of trying to provoke a fight, the enemy answered by sticking a note in the ground reading, “No need to fight.” Admiral Yi moved his fleet to Hyungdo.

On October 8, the fleet made one last approach to Jangmunpo, but the enemy still didn't come out. After a final show of force, the fleet returned to Hansan Island.

Why Wasn't This Battle Counted Among the 23?

Across this ten-day-plus operation, all the Joseon navy managed to burn was two empty ships on the very first day. The Japanese held their position behind their walls to the very end, and a direct clash never once took place. It's hard even to call it a victory given how little happened -- and honestly, it's hard to even call it a battle.

In fact, the number “23 battles, 23 victories” itself was never a settled figure in academic circles to begin with. A more careful recount of Admiral Yi's engagements has been reported, in the media, to reach as many as 40 or so, with somewhere between 38 and 40 counted as victories and the rest -- like the Battle of Jangmunpo -- left undecided.

Whatever the exact number turns out to be, one thing is clear: wherever there was a place he could provoke a fight, Admiral Yi sailed his ships there without fail. It's simply that, at Jangmunpo, the enemy refused to answer, and so no real battle ever came to be.

👉 Next post: ㉕ The Battles of Eollanpo and Byeokpajin: The Record on the Eve of Myeongnyang

— Momcheolhak