In the second year of Xianfeng (1852), the Taiping Rebellion broke out, due to the corruption of the imperial court, the Eight Banners and the Green Battalion had no combat strength, and the Qing court issued an edict ordering the provinces to set up regiments for training. The Viceroy of Guangxi, Xiang Rong, recruited troops in Yichang, Hubei Province, to form the "Chuanyong Battalion", at which time a handyman from a tofu factory was also conscripted into the army, and he was Bao Chao, the first fierce general of the Xiang Army who would later quell the Taiping Army. Bao Chao first went from Xiang Rong to Guangxi to suppress the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom Movement, and then transferred to the Xiang Army as the commander of the water division. He successively led the army to fiercely fight in Yuezhou, Wuchang, and Jinkou, because of his bravery in battle, repeatedly made miraculous achievements, and had great courage, and the Qing court gave him the title of "Zhuang Yong Batulu" and the official name of the chief soldier of the Water Division. However, although Bao Chao fought bravely, his troops had no military discipline, and where the army passed, they burned and looted, and only scorched earth remained, which was criticized by the people of the world at that time, and also laid the groundwork for his tragic end later.
In the sixth year of Xianfeng (1856), Xiang Yong was recruited to establish the Fifth Battalion of Thunder Characters, which was changed to lead the army, commanded by Bao Chao, and Bao Chao's troops thus became the most effective and most corrupt of the Xiang Army. After that, Bao Chao defeated the Taiping Army at Kong'an in 1857, annihilating 5,000 enemy troops, and fought thirteen battles with Chen Yucheng of the Taiping Army at Fengxiangyi, regardless of victory or defeat. In 1858, the Taiping Army was defeated at Lei Gongbu, annihilating 10,000 enemy troops, defeating Chen Yucheng at the Battle of Erlang River, killing the Taiping Army Chengtian Hou Wei Guangxin and annihilating 8,000 enemy troops. In 1860, the Battle of Xiaochiyi was fiercely fought for more than 20 days, Chen Yucheng was defeated again, in 1861 Huang Wenjin was defeated at the Battle of Yangtang, in 1861 Chigangling was defeated by Liu Yulin and Li Sifu, and in 1864 at the Battle of Xuwan was defeated by Wang Haiyang, all of which were hard battles, Bao Chao won all victories, he was often surrounded by several times the Taiping Army, but even chen Yucheng, the fiercest general of the Taiping Army, could not eat him, but was defeated by him. Bao Chao's character Chun Ting, the banner of his troops is "Thunder". As long as the Taiping Army saw the word "Thunder", it did not dare to fight, whether it was true or not. Later, as soon as Zuo Zongtang lost the battle, he changed the banner of his troops to bao Chao's banner, and the Taiping Army retreated without a fight (I don't know if it is true or not).
In the summer of the third year of Tongzhi (1864), because the Xiang army surrounded Tianjing, all the Taiping armies on the periphery entered Jiangxi, and Bao Chao was ordered to aid Jiangxi. After August, the tactics of the former and rear attacks and encirclements defeated the Taiping Army's Wang Haiyang Army in Fuzhou, and forced the surrender of more than 60,000 people of Chen Bing's Taiping Army. Together with Zeng Guoquan's attack on Tianjing, the Qing court rewarded Bao Chao with the post of first-class light vehicle lieutenant, and his eyes were glazed over. Later, KerryKin, the youngest son of The Heavenly King Hong Xiuquan, Hong Tianguifu, was given a viscount of the first rank by the Qing court, and later rewarded with the post of lieutenant of Yiyun. At this time, Bao Chao reached the peak of his career due to the suppression of the rebel army. Although Bao Chao fought bravely, but military discipline was corrupt, Guo Songtao said that he was "as cruel as Xiang Yu", and Zeng Guofan's friend also pointed out that Bao Chao's troops: "The flag has passed, only scorched earth remains", "Until a time when the general is marshal, the liver and brain of the people in the southeast are destroyed, and the gold of the generals is filled, the wives and wives of the people are scattered, and the beauties of the generals are full of doors." In the sixth year of Tongzhi (1867), Bao Chao and Liu Mingchuan of the Huai Army attacked the Eastern Twister Army at the Yinlong River (Yinlong River Battle) in Hubei Province. Liu Mingchuan rushed to attack first, but was surrounded, at this time Bao Chao's thunder army arrived as scheduled, attacking the back of the Eastern Twister Army, and the Eastern Twisting Army was defeated.
However, after that, Li Hongzhang protected Liu Mingchuan, but instead falsely accused Bao Chao of being beheaded for the crime of missing the opportunity and risking merit, and after counting his military discipline, the Qing court, who did not know the truth, instead severely reprimanded him. Bao Chao, seeing that he had meritorious service, was severely reprimanded, and in a fit of rage, he resolutely resigned from his illness and returned to fengjie's home. It was not until more than ten years later that Bao Chao was used by the Qing court again, but it was only used as a temporary shield, and the peace agreement was abandoned, and Bao Chao had been in the Sino-French war controversy and after angrily shouting: "The saint is dimwitted, and there is a negative heavenly dynasty." Bao Chao participated in more than 500 battles in his lifetime, was wounded 108 times, and rarely lost, Chen Yucheng once said: "The famous generals of the officers and soldiers can be enemies, one Bao and two Li only"! (Although Er Li died, Yi Bao Nanping). In the twelfth year of Guangxu (1886), Bao Chao, who was depressed and ill, died, and Yu Zhongzhuang was fifty-eight years old.