strongest

In addition to the maritime attack，Tokugawa launched an attack from three directions to Choshu.
Its main force was advancing along the Seto Inland Sea from Osaka.
Of course，strongest army of Tokugawa was responsible.

Well，era of Sekigahara (1600), they would have been strongest surely.
Middle of the 19th century，that's strongest samurais clashed with national army of Choshu.
And they was crushed.

Satsuma had expressed already their opposition to this war.
Movement against Tokugawa also came to the fore in Hiroshima of next to Choshu.

Choshu remain dominant，this Front became a stalemate.

・・・・・・・・・
　
At the front of the Sea of Japan side，Choshu was clearly predominant.
This Front had meaning flank attack for Tokugawa.
Lords of that land had been ordered to attack Choshu.
But there was no fighting spirit in them originally against Choshu as with Hiroshima.
(Hiroshima was positive from the beginning to Choshu.)

More than anything，all information that reached to them. 　
It was the defeat of the Tokugawa.
　
They continued to retreat.

・・・・・・・・・
　
Did not expect anyone (including Choshu)，it was Tokugawa's backfoot of unilateral.　
　
”Japan's military defeat to one region.
That's bad."
The UK had doubts about the ability of the Tokugawa reign already.
　
There is Kokura across the strait of the Shimonoseki of Choshu.
Tokugawa ministers arrived there as commander.