Battle
Battle of Wuyang 武陽之戰
About this event
The Battle of Wuyang was the battle in the spring of the 3rd year of Chuping (192) in which, while Cao Cao, Administrator of Dong Commandery, was stationed at Dunqiu, Yu Du and others of the Heishan bandits attacked Dongwuyang, the seat of Dong Commandery, and Cao Cao led his troops west into the mountains to attack Yu Du's base. Hearing of this, Yu Du abandoned Wuyang and returned, and Cao Cao intercepted Sui Gu and also attacked Yufuluo of the Xiongnu at Neihuang, inflicting heavy defeats on them all. Records, Wei 1 §20
Chen Shou recorded this battle briefly in the Annals of Emperor Wu (Records of Wei 1), following the defeat of the Heishan bandits in the previous year and Cao Cao's appointment as Administrator of Dong Commandery. The battle does not appear in the Romance. In the Romance, Sui Gu appears in Chapter 19 as a trusted general of Zhang Yang and is pursued by Shi Huan, whom Cao Cao sent. Records, Wei 1 §19–20Romance, Ch. 19 §42
Course of events in the Records
In the 2nd year of Chuping (191) a host of more than a hundred thousand Heishan bandits under Yu Du, Bai Rao, Sui Gu and others plundered Wei Commandery and Dong Commandery, and Wang Hong, the Administrator of Dong Commandery, could not stop them. Cao Cao led his troops into Dong Commandery and attacked and defeated Bai Rao at Puyang, and on this occasion Yuan Shao petitioned to make Cao Cao Administrator of Dong Commandery. Cao Cao made Dongwuyang his seat. Records, Wei 1 §19
In the spring of the 3rd year of Chuping (192), when Cao Cao was stationed at Dunqiu, Yu Du and the others attacked Dongwuyang. Cao Cao then led his troops west into the mountains and attacked the base of Yu Du and the others. Hearing of this, Yu Du abandoned Wuyang and returned. Records, Wei 1 §20
Cao Cao intercepted Sui Gu, and also attacked Yufuluo of the Xiongnu at Neihuang, inflicting heavy defeats on them all. Records, Wei 1 §20
Written by 3KDEX (not yet reviewed) — The tags at the end of each paragraph link to the exact passage in the Records volume or Romance chapter it is based on.
Belligerents
| Item | A | B |
|---|---|---|
| Factions | Wei | Heishan Bandits, Xiongnu |
| Commanders | Cao Cao | Sui Gu |
Factions, commanders, strength and casualties are checked against the source texts (3KDEX). Strength and casualties show only figures stated in the sources. Source: Wei 1 §20