Report Discussing Enemy Strength論報賊勢狀

Your servant, having earlier heard the report that the enemy were about to add to their troops, at once sent his military officer Kim Seonui (金善義) to Hwanghae Province to pass word to the Inspector and to the Defence Commander and such places, and had them join forces with the Left Defence Commander to meet and cut the enemy off. He also sent urgent word to Ganghwa (江華) that, taking the chance of the enemy's coming down, they should block the ferry crossings with the naval forces and so halt their movement down to the west; and he sent word to Defence Commander Yi Il (李鎰) as well, to rally the troops of the several camps and, taking the chance, strike and kill them. He heard further that at the Daedong River (大同江) and such places the enemy soldiers were going back and forth as they pleased without precaution, and so had Kim Eokchu (金億秋) take the naval forces and, under cover of night, go straight up and burn and break the enemy's ships; and had him fire many singijeon (神機箭) rockets and cannon to set fire to the Daedong Gate, and beforehand had one man secretly lay caltrops outside the gate, so that when they came rushing out in confusion his men might shoot volleys at them from aboard the ships.

But the several commanders everywhere, shrinking from the numbers of the enemy, all halted their troops and did not advance, so that the enemy were let range a thousand li as they pleased and were not once rebuked and barred. Sitting still, they have let the vicious horde at Pyeongyang gather in great numbers, and what lies ahead is cause for the utmost anxiety.

The lie of the land at Pyeongyang is steep and firm to the north-west, flat and easy to the south-east. As for the one business of the naval forces, had it truly been set in motion early and fallen upon them unawares, there would have been merit in it; but at the outset they hesitated and doubted and did not advance, and so long lost the opportunity. Only on the eighteenth day did they at last go forward, and then they could not reach the enemy who had already gathered. Breaking the order of command again, they did no more than let the enemy soldiers become aware of them, and with nothing at all gained they merely made up the count with a few empty ships and so stopped the mouth of their responsibility. What help is that to the business either?

In general, military discipline has come loose and slack, and the commanders and soldiers, far and near, have none of them a mind to fight with all their strength. The enemy's spirit grows stronger by the day and our own condition weaker by the day. Of the many weapons needed for battle not one set is fully provided, and with bows and arrows alone they make shift for an implement to hold off the enemy. Now bows and arrows are truly a sharp implement, yet beyond a hundred paces they are no match for lead shot, and within a few paces they cannot master short weapons. The soldiers having nothing already to rely upon, it is no wonder that it comes to their fleeing and breaking.

Now your servant hears from the man who came bearing the Gyeongsang Province report that when the Provincial Military Commander Pak Jin (朴晉) broke the enemy camps in various places he used repeating crossbows (連弩) and jincheonroe (震天雷) bombs, and that these the enemy feared most of all. Though it is late now, they may still be provided. But the jincheonroe held in the several districts have all lost their proper make and cannot be hurled and fired, and to cast them anew would surely take days. It would be fitting that those held in the several districts along the river be hastily shipped by the office in charge to the camp, to be used in the fighting.

Of the date on which the Ming troops will come out, nothing at all has been heard. Military affairs are said to prize secrecy, yet the appointed term is already spent and the enemy's designs are hard to reckon; between morning and evening the cares run in ten thousand strands, and looking round upon the condition we are in there is not one thing to rely upon, so that the pain and oppression are without end. Let the court particularly hear and see in many ways, weigh and deliberate upon what is fitting, and send word urgently abroad, that there be no care of utter ruin.

Should the river freeze over, the business of the northern barbarians too is much to be feared. In your servant's view the northern barbarians are covetous but without design, and so are easily enticed with advantage. If there should again be talk of their coming to our relief, let them for now be pacified and given rewards, so as to stay the care of their biting like wolves. It is as in the time of the Tang, when in seeking to recover what was lost there was no choice but to make peace with the Uyghurs (回紇); for in general their condition was such. Your servant's words may seem roundabout, yet in truth they bear upon the great plan, and being unable to master his petty oppressed and urgent sincerity he lays them before you repeatedly, in utmost dread.