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.
