He had to judge whether the moment was favorable for starting a war of liberation; and, whatever might be the enthusiasm of his junior staff-officers, Yorck had no illusions as to the safety of his own head, and negotiated with Clausewitz. While negotiations were ongoing at Tauroggen on 26 December, Yorck sent the king's adjutant, Major Wilhelm Henckel von Donnersmarck, back to Berlin via Königsberg, there to inform General Friedrich Wilhelm von Bülow about the impending Russian truce.
He needed to determine if it was opportune to initiate a liberation war; despite his junior officers' enthusiasm, Yorck recognized that no guarantee existed for his safety and discussed matters with Clausewitz. As negotiations progressed at Tauroggen on December 26th, Yorck sent Major Wilhelm Henckel von Donnersmarck from Königsberg to Berlin via Königsberg to inform General Friedrich Wilhelm von Bülow about the impending Russian truce.