Report That the Commander-in-Chief Turned the Army Back to Gaeseong提督還軍開城府狀

Yesterday the Commander-in-Chief meant to go back to Gaeseong and rest the men and horses a little, so your servant and Yi Deokhyeong (李德馨) and the rest set it forth earnestly in every way, arguing over and over that once the main army withdrew the hearts of the people would scatter. At last the Commander-in-Chief grew angry and said, "I mean only to rest the troops and advance again; how should I have any intent to withdraw? Why do you understand nothing of affairs and speak so tiresomely?" — and thereupon he stopped his going.

Early in the evening he called the interpreter, put away those at his left and right, and told him quietly and in much detail the plan for advancing and striking. He said further, "The first month runs against my natal sign (本命) and is not auspicious; that is why I fell from my horse and why it was unprofitable to strike the enemy. Only in the next month can the troops be made to advance. Pass this to the ministers of this country, that they alone may know it; let it not leak out to others."

This morning, because many war horses had died, he performed a sacrifice in person. The weather happening to turn a little dull, the Commander-in-Chief said, "If it rains I shall withdraw and halt at Gaeseong." Your servant went forward again and begged him to stay only a little longer, but he would not listen in the end, and keeping only the gunners of the southern troops (南兵) by the river he sent all the horsemen back to Gaeseong; this is most grievous and painful.

In sum, on the twenty-seventh the Commander-in-Chief went forward lightly, leading his household guard (家丁) alone, and failing to win he thereupon withdrew and halted at Dongpa; and among the several commanders it was such as Zhang Shijue (張世爵) who urged the more the talk of withdrawing and halting. Now he withdraws again from Dongpa to Gaeseong; and though it is said that he will rest the troops and advance once more, it is hard to reckon that his words will certainly prove so.

The matter of grain your servant has already reported in an earlier dispatch. At the first only what would serve one road for a day or two was made ready, and now the main army has halted four days at Gaeseong, two days at Paju, and three days more at Dongpa, so that though we stumble after it we fall short on this side and on that, and your servant knows not what to do.

The enemy troops still remain at the capital, and should the main army withdraw from here all at once the great work will be ruined. Your servant beats his breast and cries out to Heaven, and though he would die there is no ground on which to die. He would spend his strength and plead earnestly once more, but he does not know whether he will be heard.

When the Commander-in-Chief struck the walled town and won, he used the southern troops alone, yet when merit came to be weighed the northern troops stood above them; and it seems the temper of the army (軍情) has been set awry by this. If he takes the one victory for his merit and has no firm intent to advance, then with your servants' poor skill and strength the shape of things can hardly be turned back, and this is the more painful and grievous.