Campaign against Zhang Xianzhong

After defeating peasant rebels at She County, Hebei, Huixian and Wu'an and eliminating their presence in Shanxi and Henan provinces, Zuo went the forces of Zhang Xianzhong who were threatening Xiangyang in Hubei province (then part of Huguang). After setting up camp at Yunyang District and Fang County, Zuo's army fell into an ambush at Gucheng County, Hubei. 10,000 Ming soldiers were killed and only a few thousand escaped alive. During this campaign, soldiers consumed peach and jujube due to a shortage of grain. Zhang eventually led his followers to Sichuan province.

Campaign against Li Zicheng

Zuo, meanwhile, was forced to head back to Henan to confront the followers of the rebel leader Li Zicheng. Unsuccessful in his request for reinforcements to the Prince of Chu in Wuchang, Zuo and general Sun Chuanting engaged Li's forces at Zhuxian. Their defeat enabled Li to capture the city of Kaifeng.

Service under Southern Ming

After the fall of Beijing to Li Zicheng and the death of the Chongzhen Emperor, Zuo declared his loyalty to the Hongguang Emperor of Southern Ming. On May 13, 1645, his forces surrendered to the Manchu general Ajige at Taiping Prefecture, Anhui Province. Zuo refused to serve the Manchus and was later executed.

早年经历

幼年丧父，由叔父抚育成人，虽不识字但多有智谋，「长身赧面，骁勇，善左右射，目不知书，多智谋，抚士卒得其欢心，以故战辄有功」。初官辽东车石营都司，后隶昌平部督侍郎侯恂麾下。大凌河被民变队伍包围，擢副将率兵往援，战于松山与杏山有功。

征战四方

崇祯六年（1632年）即升至总兵官。到山西后，胜战涉县、辉县，继而在武安被歼，只身脱离。后左良玉得到昌平兵，于河南屡战屡胜。九月，与曹文诏等将领在武安合围民军。至十一月，叛军向王朴诈降，脱离包围圈，作乱河南。十二月，左良玉开始追击，二十天内肃清河南境内叛军，期间叛军主力高迎祥等人已去湖广郧阳，被称遇强则逃，遇弱则战。

史载左良玉军纪败坏，形同盗匪，崇祯九年（1636年）七月，左部尾随张献忠占据襄阳城，城内百姓家家驻有左军，「淫污之状不可言」，以至于百姓「不恨贼而恨兵」。

崇祯十一年（1638年），追击张献忠，挥刀击之，献忠面流血。叛军因此陷入低潮。

崇祯十二年（1639年）五月，张献忠复叛，一路势如破竹，占领谷城县城与房县。熊文灿令左良玉、罗岱率兵进剿，从襄阳起程，途中缺粮，士兵沿途采摘山中野桃、枣子为食，七月二十五日至房县。张献忠、罗汝才在播箕寨两山之间设下埋伏，诱敌深入，良玉中计，官军大败，罗岱被杀，左良玉拚命突围，士卒死者一万多人，脱困士兵不到千人。

崇祯十二年（1639年）杨嗣昌荐良玉有大将才，拜平贼将军。

崇祯十二年，玛瑙山之战后，贺人龙以杨嗣昌背信，私下告知良玉，嗣昌欲夺其位，左良玉亦恨之，两人皆与杨嗣昌不合，长期拥兵自重，传檄不至。左良玉停兵不追，张献忠得以进入四川。贺人龙后为孙传庭所杀。

崇祯十五年（1642年）督师侯恂发帑五十万犒赏左良玉部，良玉与李自成战于朱仙镇，良玉大败，退至襄阳。四月，李自成兵围开封，良玉见李自成军容甚壮，连夜拔营而逃，李自成率叛军追击，良玉「兵大乱，下马渡沟，僵仆溪谷中」，「弃马骡万匹，器械无算」。不敢同闯军主力作战，故技重演，率部顺江东窜，撤兵至武昌。左良玉向楚王要兵粮，未得补给，遂掠夺武昌而去。

南明时期

崇祯十七年（1644年），三月封宁南伯，北京城破，崇祯帝自缢，左良玉尽出己掳掠所藏金银财物，价值二三万金，散给诸将，才稳住军心。弘光帝立，晋升为宁南侯。弘光元年（1645年）李自成的大顺军被清军在西北击败后南下。左良玉为了避战，藉机南京崇祯太子案爆发，以「奉太子传国密诏」、「清君侧」为名，传檄讨马士英、阮大铖，领兵顺江东下。临行之时，下令在武昌屠城。四月初一日，良玉至九江，已是久病之躯。左良玉军在九江被江督袁继咸拒绝进城。左军勾结一些袁军在九江城内放火。袁被迫出城，左邀袁到舟中相见。三日后初四日左病死。后东林党人谈迁杜撰「袁责以大义，良玉疾甚，望城中火光，大哭曰：『予负袁公！』呕血数升而死」。其子左梦庚拘禁袁继咸，引兵东下，直通太平府。马士英急命史可法尽撤江防之兵以防左良玉，行至草鞋峡时，黄得功等部已击败左梦庚。同年五月十三日梦庚率部投降清军阿济格部。袁继咸为清兵所执，不屈，被斩杀。