Career
He led the Taiping fleet in many battles, nearly destroying the Xiang Army. He trained other naval officers, including Li Rongfa and Li Xiucheng. Tang was killed in action in 1863.
Tang Zhengcai employed wooden bridges similar in design to the Bailey bridge later developed by Donald Bailey.
In the a battle near Nanjing on March 10, 1853, Tang commanded the first offensive, successfully cutting off every river pass that could reinforce Nanjing. In 1854, at Lake Dongting, Tang"s fleet surrounded the Xiang Army"s fleet and destroyed much of lieutenant
Tang"s fleet later transported 30,000 of Shi Dakai"s troops along the Yangtze in a swift surprise attack. In 1863, he was killed in action – shot by the Huai Army in Wuxi.
