The Battle of Sishui Pass occurred in 190 AD when the Guangdong coalition armies led by Yuan Shao defeated Dong Zhuo's forces guarding the Si River Gate during their advance on the Imperial capital of Luoyang. Sishui Pass was the Coalition's first victory, and Dong Zhuo's great general Hua Xiong was slain by Guan Yu.
Background[]
In 189 AD, after the massacre of the corrupt Ten Eunuchs, the brutal warlord Dong Zhuo seized power in Luoyang, deposed the child Emperor Shao of Han, and placed his brother on the throne as Emperor Xian of Han, who now served as his puppet ruler. The You Province warlord Cao Cao of Chenliu Commandery launched a failed assassination attempt a year later, after which he returned to his home and sent out a call to arms to all of the warlords across the Han empire.
Cao Cao was joined by Yue Jin of Yangping, Li Dian of Julu, Xiahou Dun and his cousin Xiahou Yuan from Qiao, and Cao Cao's cousins Cao Ren and Cao Hong (each with 1,000 troops). When Yuan Shao received Cao Cao's call to arms, he raised 30,000 troops and marched from Bohai to Qiao to take an oath to Cao Cao.
They were joined by the Governor of Nanyang Yuan Shu, Imperial Protector of Ji Province Han Fu, Imperial Protector of Yu Province Kong Zhou, Imperial Protector of Yan Province Liu Dai, Governor of Henei Wang Kuang, Governor of Chenliu Zhang Miao, Governor of Dongjun Qiao Mao, Governor of Shanyang Yuan Yi, Lord of Jibei Bao Xin, Governor of Beihai Kong Rong, Governor of Guangling Zhang Chao, Imperial Protector of Xu Province Tao Qian, Governor of Xiliang Ma Teng, Governor of Beiping Gongsun Zan, and Governor of Shangdang Zhang Yang, Governor of Changsha Sun Jian.
Each of them brought between 10,000 to 30,000 soldiers, and Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei joined Gongsun Zan's 15,000-strong contingent.
Battle[]
Yuan Shao was elected leader of the coalition, and he named his half-brother Yuan Shu chief of the commissariat, while Sun Jian volunteered to lead the vanguard. Meanwhile, Dong Zhuo sent Hua Xiong with 50,000 troops to guard the Si River Gate at Sishui Pass, with Li Su, Hu Zhen, and Zhao Cen accompanying him.
Bao Xin, who sought glory at the expense of insubordination, sent his brother Bao Zhong with 1,000 troops to offer battle at Sishui Pass. Hua Xiong and 500 armored horsemen attacked them, and Bao Zhong was slain and most his men were captured. After sending Bao Zhong's head to Luoyang, Hua Xiong was promoted to commander-in-chief. Hu Zhen was then sent with 5,000 men to do battle with Sun Jian, but Hu Zhen was cut down by Cheng Pu with a thrust to the throat. A pursuit was prevented when Hua Xiong had his men shower the Coalition soldiers with stones, and Sun Jian's troops began to fall short of supplies and hunger for food.
Yuan Shu refused to send them grain, lest they win all of the glory by entering Luoyang first. Hua Xiong then launched a night attack on Sun Jian's army, and Zu Mao sacrificed himself by donning Sun Jian's armor and being killed by Dong Zhuo's troops as Sun Jian fled the massacre. The next day, Yuan Shu's general Yu She decided to challenge Hua Xiong, but he slew him in the third bout. Han Fu's general Pan Feng also fell, but Guan Yu volunteered to slay Hua Xiong. Cao Cao prepared some heated wine for him, but he declined; he slew Hua Xiong after a short battle and returned with his head while the wine was still warm.
Aftermath[]
Dong Zhuo decided to send his generals Li Jue and Guo Si to take 500 troops to slay Yuan Shao's uncle, Imperial Guardian Yuan Wei, in the capital as he led out 200,000 troops to deal with the alliance. Li Jue and Guo Si led 50,000 troops to hold Sishui Pass while the other 150,000 troops under his personal command defended Hulao Pass; Li Ru, Lu Bu, Fan Chou, and Zhang Ji marched with him. Battle was rejoined shortly after at the Battle of Hulao Pass.