Early life

Jiang Zhongyuan was born on August 1, 1812 in Xinning, Hunan. He passed the provincial examination in 1837 and became a juren in 1837. He then lived in Beijing for several years, passing a special examination in 1844 to receive the jinshi degree. He then became an expectant director of district schools. In 1847, having returned to Xinning, he trained a militia of approximately 2,000 men to combat Yao tribesmen and other disaffected locals. For this he was awarded an expectant magistracy. While away, the militia was kept somewhat intact by his brothers and family friends.

Jiang was appointed acting magistrate of Xiushi from 1849-1850 and then became magistrate of Lishui. In 1850, Jiang's friend, Zeng Guofan recommended Jiang for higher office to the Xianfeng Emperor. Jiang did not travel to Beijing, however, but instead returned home to mourn the death of his father.

Taiping rebellion

After the Taiping Rebellion began in earnest, Jiang was recalled from morning to assist Grand Secretary Sai-shang-a in quelling the insurrection. Jiang's volunteers were known as the Chu Yong (楚勇) and represented the first contingent of Hunanese to fight outside Hunan during the war. It was also the first in a wave of local forces led by the gentry which would eventually subdue the Taiping and served as a model for those to follow. Jiang was able to win a battle in Guangxi and was promoted to the rank of first-class sub-prefect. However, a disagreement regarding military tactics discouraged from service and he retired for a time.

In 1852, when the Taiping's threatened Guilin, Jiang returned to service, leading 1,000 recruits from Xinning to the front. There, Jiang triumphed in three battles and lifted the siege of Guilin. For this, Jiang was awarded the rank of prefect. Afterwards, Jiang was able to stymie the Taiping's planned naval invasion of Hunan. Five miles north of Quanzhou, Jiang dammed the Xiang River near the Suoyi ford and set an ambush for the Taiping navy. The Taiping casualties were staggering; Jiang's forces captured, burned, or sunk 300 boats and approximately 10,000 Taiping troops were killed. Feng Yunshan, South King of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, was among the dead.

Jiang was less successful in stopping the Taiping's subsequent overland invasion of Hunan; while Jiang was able to besiege some Taiping in Chenzhou for over a month, but the Taiping ultimately broke through and advanced to Changsha, the capital of Hunan. Jiang assisted in defending Changsha and the Taiping eventually abandoned their siege of the city, travelling northward along the Yangtze. Jiang remained behind to suppress small uprisings with his troops.

In 1853, Jiang was promoted to intendant and then made provincial judge of Hubei. Later in 1853, he was named assistant commander of the imperial armies in Jiangnan. Before departing for the military headquarters in Jiangnan, he drafted an eight-point memorial on the military situation and submitted it to the throne. Jiang never reached his destination; in Jiujiang he learned of a planned Taiping attack on Nanchang, left to reinforce the city, and arrived one day before the Taiping. Jiang was besieged from June 22 until September 24, 1853. When the siege was lifted by relief forces, Jiang was named governor of Anhui.

Jiang then led a small force to Luzhou, the temporary capital of Anhui which was being threatened by the Taiping. Outnumbered and insufficiently provisioned, Jiang was unable to hold the city in the face of improved Taiping siege-mining. Jiang himself was wounded and captured. He committed suicide by drowning on January 15, 1854.

Posthumous accolades

Jiang was posthumously granted the rank of governor-general, granted two minor hereditary ranks, and canonized as Zhonglie. In 1864, his rank was raised again. In 1856, a collection of his literary works was published, with a revised edition being printed in 1896. The revised edition included a biography of Jiang written by Guo Songtao. Jiang was said to be admired by his soldiers and has been characterized as being far-sighted, generous, brave and capable of brilliant leadership.

Family

Jiang was the oldest of four brothers. Each of his brothers and several of his cousins also participated in the war against the Taipings, two of whom were eventually canonized.

生平

道光二十七年（1847年），瑤民雷再浩以青蓮教名義在新寧崀山起義，江忠源組織團練鎮壓起義。道光二十九年（1849年），李沅髮結合青蓮教餘黨引發動亂，新寧拔貢生劉長佑、廩生劉坤一「速歸督辦團練，鄉兵不期而會者萬計」，並會合江忠源加以鎮壓。同年江忠源升署浙江秀水縣（今屬嘉興市）知縣，政績卓著，為巡撫吳文鎔賞識。清咸豐元年（1851年），奉命赴欽差大臣賽尚阿廣西軍營。旋迴鄉募勇500赴桂，號楚勇，為湘軍之雛形。翌年兵力增至上千。5月，在全州以北的蓑衣渡阻擊太平軍，大獲全勝，太平天國的南王馮雲山中炮死。楚勇奪取了太平軍的船隻輜重，打破了太平軍沿湘江北攻長沙的計劃。8月，尾追太平軍入湖南，援長沙，營壘駐紮在城東南天心閣下。咸豐三年（1853年），時任湖廣總督的張亮基奏報清廷，江忠源被調任為湖北按察使。因先後撲滅通城、崇陽、嘉魚、蒲圻等地的農民起義，清廷視其「忠勇可恃」，奉命幫辦江南大營軍務。5月，太平軍西征。6月，太平軍將攻南昌，江忠源應江西巡撫張芾之請，率部先期入城助守，堅守90多天乃解圍。因此，清廷加封江忠源二品頂戴。9月，以太平軍從南昌撤圍西上，急赴湖北田家鎮（今武穴西北）增防，被太平軍擊敗，退至武漢，江忠源上疏自劾，被降四級留任。10月，太平軍攻陷安徽省會安慶，清廷任命江忠源為安徽巡撫兼軍門提督，並授都察院副右都察御使兼兵部侍郎。12月率部入守廬州，陷入太平軍的重圍。咸豐三年十二月（1854年）因兵單糧乏，援兵不至，兼之廬州知府胡元煒暗中作內應，咸豐三年十二月十六日（1854年1月14日）太平軍由水西門突入，攻破廬州。

江忠源見大勢已去，提刀自刎不成，都司馬良勛背著江忠源疾走，江忠源咬馬良勛的耳朵，馬良勛吃痛，放江忠源下地，江忠源敗走至水關橋，投古潭自殺，時年42歲，同死者還有布政使劉裕珍、知府陳源兗、同知鄒漢勛、胡子雍、副將松安、都司馬良勛、戴文瀾等。死後，清廷追授為總督，謚忠烈。予騎都尉兼雲騎尉世職，入祀昭忠祠；同治時加封三等輕車都尉世職，湖南、江西並建專祠，湖北省城與羅澤南合祀三忠祠。咸豐六年五月壬午，因江母陳太夫人出家財助戰，皇帝特旨授予江忠源父母三代一品封典。著作大部散失，有《江忠烈公遺集》傳世。

逸事

• 江「長身鶴立，手垂至膝。與人不立崖岸而行以義斷，見定守堅，無游移兩可，自少受庭訓，好讀經世書，不屑屑章句，為文善持議論，務以理勝，無所依傍，自成一家言」

• 曾國藩第一次見江忠源，就說「此人必立名天下，然當以節烈死。」

注釋

參考

• 《清史稿》卷407·列傳194