 The Independent 7th Brigade of the communist Central Hebei Military Region had taken most of the town of Ba (霸) County after badly mauling the loca nationalist garrison consisted of a nationalist security regiment and a regiment of the nationalist 22nd Division, forcing the surviving defenders into the isolated region of Northern Pass (Bei Guan, 北关) of the town.At Open Mouth Village (Kai Ko Cun, 开口村), units from the communist 10 sub-Military Region forced the defenders consisted of a regiment of the nationalist 94th Division to give up most of the area and withdrew into three large bunker complexes.However, communists failed to annihilate the nationalist's forces at Jiu Hill (Jiu Gang, 咎岗) consisted of a brigade and two regiments after the communist 4th Column was beaten back twice in their attacks on the besieged nationalists.