Urgent Report on Enemy Strength at Pyongyang馳。啓平壤賊勢狀
臣到控江亭路逢潰散之卒絡繹於道問其緣由則昨日夕時賊自王城灘偷渡兵使李潤德先走江上諸陣兵皆潰散云極爲驚駭平壤城中若被圍則外無援兵事甚危迫且土兵可用之士如皆散去唐兵雖來形勢不接難以成功義州宣川等處逃散之卒臣令軍官時方招集他路散出之兵願分定朝官急期收召悉赴於唐人來到之處而。行在所駐處亦從長計議急速處置庶無迫逼之患
When your servant reached Gonggangjeong (控江亭), soldiers who had broken and scattered followed one another along the road without a break. Asking the reason, he was told: 「Yesterday evening the enemy crossed in secret at Wangseongtan, whereupon the army commander Yi Yundeok (李潤德) fled first, and the troops of the several camps along the river all broke and scattered.」 It is most startling.
If the walls of Pyeongyang be encircled, there are no relieving troops outside, and the matter is in great peril. Moreover, if the serviceable soldiers among the native troops all scatter away, then even should the Ming troops come, the posture would not hold together and it would be hard to accomplish anything.
The soldiers who fled and scattered at Uiju, Seoncheon and those parts your servant has now set a military officer to call together. As for the soldiers who scattered out along other roads, he asks that officials of the court be appointed in divisions to gather and call them in with haste and have them all go forward to the place where the Ming men arrive. If at the place where the royal camp stays the matter be also deliberated for the best and dealt with urgently, there will be no fear of our being driven hard into a corner.
Interlinear notes 1
六月十六日久在嘉山控江亭時。大駕次博川
The sixteenth day of the sixth month. This was the time of the long stay at Gonggangjeong in Gasan, and the royal carriage was at Bakcheon.