The Battle of Xiaoyao Ford

Also called: Battle of Hefei (215)

When Sun Quan besieged Hefei with 100,000 men in 215, the Wei general Zhang Liao broke his momentum with a dawn charge of 800 picked men. Retreating, Sun Quan was nearly captured at Xiaoyao Ford.

In 215, while Cao Cao campaigned in Hanzhong, Sun Quan besieged Hefei with 100,000 men against a garrison of only 7,000. Following orders Cao had left, Zhang Liao picked 800 men and charged into Sun Quan’s camp at dawn, forcing Sun to take refuge on a hill. Their spirit broken, the Wu troops besieged the city for over ten days and then withdrew.

As they withdrew Zhang Liao struck again, and Sun Quan escaped only by spurring his horse over a broken bridge at Xiaoyao Ford. The battle made Zhang Liao so feared in Wu that his name, it was said, could stop a child crying.