Fame and military campaigns

• Enlisted in the Green Standard Army in Hubei and displace shift of position to Army Group Jiangnan, just was a stoker in 1852.

• In 1853, Made many wins but officer dislike him, Zeng Guofan drafted him joined to the Xiang Army, promoted him be a company commander defend the Lake Dongting.

• In the Xiang Army he promoted very fast, be a Major General and command 15,000 infantry and defended Qimen County (Xiang Army's headquarter position) in 1856, many times defeated invading Taiping Army.

• He had joined combat 500 times and was wounded 108 times on his body in whole military life.

• Zhejiang Military Region (commander) (1861 – 1864)

• Retired, from 1867 to 1878

• Hunan Military Region (commander) (1882 – 1886)

Death

He was buried in the north of Fengjie County, but he was later seen Proletariat betrayer so his grave was destroyed by Red Guard during the Cultural Revolution.

Awards

• created the royal BATURU(Manchu:the Brave twice in 1855(and promoted Colonel), 1860(guards Qimen County and saved Zeng Guofan successfully)

• created Imperial yellow jacket (黃馬褂) in 1862

• created Viscount Yiyong of the First Class, Order of succession (勇毅一等子爵, 世襲) in 1864

• Vice Three Excellencies, Crown prince military second master (太子少保)

生平

鮑超為平定太平天國之湘軍名將，不識字，但作戰勇猛，很為曾國藩重用，所部「霆字營」，駐軍佈防於皖南，護衛湘軍於祁門司令部，為太平軍所忌憚畏懼；封贈太子少保，官拜浙江提督。

鮑超雖作戰勇猛，但軍紀敗壞，郭嵩燾說他「所過殘滅如項羽」。陝西巡撫劉蓉曾寫信給曾國藩，慶幸「霆軍」不入陝：「鮑軍無意西來，所過又多殘暴，誠不願其複至，恐如梳如篦，遂至如剃，則困苦尤所難堪。」曾國藩的好友王柏心之子王傢仕更痛斥鮑超「軍無紀律，旌旗所過，僅存焦土」，「至若一時將帥，使東南數千裏民之肝腦塗地，而諸將之黃金填庫，民之妻孥亡散，而諸將之美女盈門。」。

1867年正月15日，淮軍主將劉銘傳與鮑超的霆軍約定於巳時（上午九時）會師湖北尹隆河（永隆河），進擊捻軍，未料劉軍爭功提前於弗曉卯時（上午五時）即朝戰場開拔，途中遇伏，總兵唐殿魁、田履安陣亡，劉銘傳本人幾乎被俘虜。隨後，鮑超的援軍即時出現拯救了淮軍，清軍反敗為勝。

此役清軍殲滅捻軍部眾近萬人，捻軍共約八千人，軍馬五千匹被俘，史稱尹隆河之戰。

經此戰後，朝廷問責，劉推卸責任致使霆軍遭朝廷不公遣散處份，鮑超憤極去職，退出軍隊十一年之久。

1966年文化大革命初，紅衛兵搗毀鮑超墓。

逸事

• 咸豐二年（1852年），廣西提督向榮在湖北宜昌招兵，組建「川勇營」，超應募入伍，初當伙伕。

• 英勇，屢建戰功，咸豐四年超被調至曾國藩洞庭湖水師「長龍軍艦」任哨長。

• 1856年秋，曾國藩認為已是副將的鮑超可統領大軍，令超至長沙招兵，組「霆字營」一萬五千兵員。

• 鮑超曾被太平軍包圍，請求曾國藩急派援兵救助，卻苦於不識字，只會寫自己名字，所部兵士亦無人識字。鮑超靈機一動，急忙寫一鮑字，再以毛筆畫了一堆圓圈，圍著「鮑」字，飛信給曾；曾收信呵呵笑言：「鮑超被圍了，要我們去救他！」，派援兵出，遂得救。

• 參加過500場以上戰役，身被傷108處，與滿人多隆阿並稱為猛將，在湘軍陣營有「北多（多隆阿）南超」讚譽。

于1861年夏起鮑超統湘軍掃平太湖流域金壇縣的金壇之戰，消滅太平軍近二萬名尤為著稱，鮑也被視為曾國藩系湘軍直屬本部軍，至戰爭後期1862年左右起，湘軍才自原鮑超帶領，改成曾國荃與李鴻章領兵至1864年六月結束

注釋