in response to the razing of the citadel of saigon, định organised his local levies into a "guerrilla" force that initially numbered between 500 and 1000 men, operating out of thuan kieu. they were armed with bladed spears, fire lances, knives, sabres, bamboo sticks and swords, trained and on call as necessary. as a local notable who was respected for his leadership and military ability, định naturally assumed a lead role in the partisan movement that responded to tự đức's appeals for popular resistance against european aggression. in the initial phase of the conflict, the local militias concentrated on evacuating the populace from areas that had been taken over by the french, while urging those who chose to stay to not cooperate with the europeans. snipers were deployed into french areas to assassinate isolated soldiers.