ABSTRACT
Jiangkou faced directly onto the wide Dahuang River. The government army had decided to withdraw from Jiangkou and cross the Dahuang River. This marked a step in retreat from the Society of God Worshippers. Hong Xiuquan ordinarily took council with Yang Xiuqing before deciding on important matters. From Yang's tone Liwen was confident that they had decided to advance north, because Yang had been the most influential support of the Southern Advance. The Northern Advance view won the day, but the final decision was to be made in a conference of the leaders at the Chen mansion. Leaders from Guangdong, such as Hong Xiuquan and Feng Yunshan, were actually opposed to moving on Guangzhou. Yang Xiuqing and Xiao Chaogui, raised in the mountainous region around Thistle Mountain, pressed for a Southern Advance. The Taiping military leaders, having decided on a northern advance, let it be known among their followers that they were set on moving south.
