The failure of the Communist counterattack meant that the defenders’ days were numbered when they were pushed to the edge of the city wall. Before the dawn of September 19, 1946, two companies of the Nationalist Reorganized 74th Division crawled to pass the defenders’ perimeter at the junction of the position of the Communist 9th Column and the position of the Communist the 5th Brigade, reached the gate of the city, and after capturing a sentry alive, they had successfully obtained the password. In the heat of ensuing battle, the two companies of the Nationalist troops were able to enter the city from the southern gate by disguising as the Communist troops outside the city wall going back into the city for re-supply. During the precise moment in the ensuing battle at the dusk, the Nationalists inside the city opened the gate and the defenders had no choice but to abandon the city as the attacking Nationalists entered the city en masse. On September 21, Communists abandoned Huai'an after fierce fights and on the next day, the Nationalists declared the city was secured. Although the Nationalists had suffered over 14,000 casualties in taking the region, it was an insignificant number and the reward was far greater. The Communist reinforcement from Shandong withdrew to Lianshui (涟水) region upon hearing the news of the fall of the cities, ending the battle.