other under Hong Chong-gak. Rebellion January 31 to February 15, 1812: In the early stages of the rebellion, the rebels appeared to be quite successful. The starting date had been set for February 1, but the campaign had to be launched on January 31 because district leaders had become suspicious. The first district town to be captured was Kasan, located only a few miles from their secret base at Dabog. The attack was led by Hong Chong-gak, who led a force of 30 to 40 cavalrymen and about 150-foot soldiers. A clerk of the district office welcomed the rebels, but the magistrate refused to submit and was killed along with his son. The following day Hong's army moved to Bakcheon (Pakch'on) by way of the ferry station downstream and set up its basecamp there. A dispute over strategy led to an unsuccessful assassination attempt on Hong Gyeong-Rae and a delay in the further advance of Hong's army. The dissidents had hoped to move swiftly to Anju, the walled city south of the Cheongcheon River before the government had a chance to prepare for an attack, but they never put their plan into action. Meanwhile, the rebel army led by Kim captured Gwaksan (Kwaksan), where the fifth column greeted them. The wounded magistrate escaped first to the fortified town of Jeongju, where he warned of the impending attack on the town. The warning was of no avail because the fifth column was able to take over. The armies of Kim and Hong converged on Jeongju from February 2 to 4. The combined force of the two rebel armies under the command of Kim took over Seongcheon on February 4 after it surrendered without a fight. However, the walled town of Guseong (Kusŏng) did not surrender to the rebels. Hong replenished his forces at Jeongju and marched northeast to take over Tacheon on February 7. The town fell easily because the magistrate fled before Hong's army arrived. Kim's army was also successful. By February 10, the rebels captured an important granary south of Guseong and the district seat at Cheolsan (Ch'ŏlsan). At that point, the rebels controlled much of the Pyeongan Province north of the Cheongcheon River. Whenever rebels took over a district, they opened the government granaries and distributed the grain to the people to gain support. They also took government funds to use as payment for their peasant soldiers. The