Report on Looking Into How the People of Various Places in Hwanghae Raised Troops and Struck the Enemy探報黃海道各處人民起兵討賊緣由狀
臣前日所遣體探黃海道人金克諶等昨夜始爲還來備言黃海一道事情且持遂安郡守韓守眞牒呈及各處人民文狀以來自。車駕西巡平壤陷沒之後遠近民情無所係屬弱者從賊求生强者乘時盜竊者不知其數而其中能私自招集奮意殺賊者間或有之至爲可嘉至於黃州之民則欲尋覓閔仁伯去處累度往來於祥原等處而不得還去及聞臣文移悲感傳觀各爲文狀欲效勦賊之功民情如此滅賊無日所患守令將帥之類一皆抱頭鼠竄無一人倡率興起者此輩之罪可謂上通於天極爲痛甚傳聞閔仁伯逃避于德泉等處而近來始欲還官已向成川判官鄭曄等亦從三縣向去云果登時到官收集散亡則猶可濟事。朝廷別爲區處右人等量加褒異使有興起之心其中崔銀老則以年少出身之人先倡聚軍欲勦賊倭號令頗行於其類將來不無可望臣所賫來空名告身欲爲先付送黃州等處之民聞天兵欲波江而朝廷憂糧餉之不繼皆云新穀已出若。天兵果渡江則處處衆民家出戶輸願爲接濟惟望早爲蕩平以活民生到處涕泣言之云極爲矜惻前月二十八日平壤接戰時我軍死亡者其數不少今日所用精銳惟是江邊健兒而日漸銷耗賊氣猶盛未曾一挫尤切痛憤臣移文于江界陣亡諸人家屬幷令恤典擧行
Kim Geuksim (金克諶) and the others, the scouts your servant sent into Hwanghae Province the other day, only came back last night. They gave a full account of the circumstances of the one province of Hwanghae, and also brought the report of Suan Magistrate Han Sujin (韓守眞) and writings from the people of various places.
Since the royal carriage moved westward and Pyeongyang fell, the hearts of the people far and near have had nothing to hold them fast, so that the weak follow the enemy to seek life and the strong seize the moment to steal, in numbers beyond knowing. Among them there are here and there those who of themselves call men together and rouse themselves to kill the enemy, which is most commendable. The people of Hwangju went back and forth several times to Sangwon (祥原) and the like seeking the place Min Inbaek (閔仁伯) had gone, and returned without finding him; but on hearing your servant's dispatch they were moved to sorrow, passed it round and read it to one another, and each means to compose a writing and offer his service in striking the enemy. With the hearts of the people like this, the day for destroying the enemy is not far off.
What is worrying is that the magistrates and the commanders alike clutch their heads and hide like mice, and not one of them leads out in front and rises. The guilt of this crowd may be said to pierce Heaven above; it is deeply grievous. It is reported at second hand that Min Inbaek had taken shelter in Deokcheon (德泉) and the like and only lately meant to return to his office, having already set out for Seongcheon, and that the Administrator Jeong Yeop (鄭曄) and the others have also gone there from the three districts. If they do indeed reach their offices in time and gather in those who have scattered, the matter may yet be saved. Let the court dispose of this separately, and weigh adding rewards for the men above, so that they may have a heart to rise. Among them Choe Eunno (崔銀老), a young man of military background, has taken the lead in gathering troops to strike the Japanese enemy, and his orders are quite obeyed among his crowd, so there is not nothing to hope for from him hereafter. Your servant means to send ahead the blank commission (空名告身) that he brought with him.
The people of Hwangju and the like, hearing that the Ming troops mean to cross the river while the court fears it cannot keep up provisions, all say that the new grain has already come in, so that if the Ming troops do indeed cross the river the multitude of people everywhere wish to contribute from each house and carry it by each household to supply them; and they say they wish only for an early sweeping away of the enemy to let the people live, speaking with tears wherever the scouts went. It is deeply pitiable and moving.
In the fighting at Pyeongyang on the twenty-eighth of last month the number of our troops who died was not small. The picked men we use today are only the swift troops of the riverside, and they dwindle day by day. The enemy's spirit is still flourishing and we have not broken it even once, which is the more grievous and galling. Your servant has sent a dispatch to Ganggye to have the relief granted by the state bestowed upon the families of the several men who died in the fighting.
Interlinear notes 2
八月三日
The third day of the eighth month
The source text has 波江, but this is taken as an error for 渡江.