Battle of Tongnae
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| The Siege of Tongnae | |||||||
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| Part of Imjin War | |||||||
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| Combatants | |||||||
| Japanese Army | Korean Garrison | ||||||
| Commanders | |||||||
| Konishi Yukinaga | Mag.Song Sang Hyun† Mag. Jo Yung Gyoo† Gen. Yi Gak Adm. Park Hong |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 18,000 (est.) | at least 3,000 (est.) | ||||||
| Casualties | |||||||
| Unknown | Unknown | ||||||
Contents |
[edit] Background
After the fall of Pusan, the Japanese army has to secure their bridgehead, because few miles to the north of Pusan lay the fortress of Dongnae, that dominates the main road north towards Hanseong
[edit] The march and the Siege of Dongnae
After resting overnight at Pusan, the First Division left at 6:00 AM the following morning, marched around the bay without delay, and began the attack on Dongnae two hours later. Its prefect, Song Sang Hyun, hurriedly gathered all the town-people and what soldiers he could find such as Jo Yung Gyoo, the magistrate of Yangsan. As soon as the Japanese completed the investment of the fortress surrounding it in five lines, with other troops crowding on the nearby fields and prepared to storm the fortress. The brave prefect took up his position in the upper storey of the great gate of the fortress where, in accordance with the Korean custom, he beat upon a great drum and urged on his soldiers I the fight. Like he has done previously at Pusan, Konishi Yukinaga presented the Japanese demands for a clear road through to China. It was again rejected with the words, "it is easy for me to die, but difficult to let you pass”
[edit] The approach of reinforcement and the cowardice of Yi Gak
General Yi Gak, the commander of all the forces in Gyungsang province, was approaching from the north; but hearing the fate of the garrison of Pusan, he halted abruptly and said “As commander of all the provincial forces I must not risk my life in actual battle but must stand outside where I can direct affairs”. So he turned about and put six miles between his precious person and the beleaguered town of Tongnae, encamping at Sonsan.
[edit] The Battle
After Pusan, for a second time the ramparts of a Korean castle were swept with bullets. For eight hours the gallant defenders fought before the enemy effected an entrance over their dead bodies. An assault was made and 3000 killed, but only after a fight lasting twelve hours.
[edit] The Fall
When Yi Gak, the cautious, and Gen. Park Hong who was with him, heard the fall of Tongnae, they took their heels and consequently their force did likewise. After the fall of Tongnae many peoples were killed, which implies a massacre similar to that which happened at Pusan.
[edit] Aftermath
With the fall of Tongnae the Japanese bridgehead was secured and the road to the north was open. Pusan and Tongnae castles were quickly garrisoned, and the harbour of Pusan began to provide a safe and almost unchallenged landing stage to disembark more than 100000 Japanese soldiers with their equipment, horses and supplies over the next month.
[edit] Legend
The Japanese general in command was so impressed with the bravery of this prefect that he haad his body decently buried and erected over his grave a wooden monument on which he wrote “A Loyal Subject”, an epitaph than which none could be more grateful to a true Korean gentleman.
The cool defiance of Song Sang Hyun has become a legend in Korea, and in the Chungnyolsa shrine at the foot of the castle hill in Tongnae, where he is honoured beside Chong Pal and Yun Hung-sin, there is a dramatic painting of him sitting impassively in his chair as the fierce Japanese approach.
