selection of the worst

"Reinforcements soldier arrived from Kishu clan. (Family of the Tokugawa)
After this，further reinforcements arrive.
Rebuild our posture,we will launch a counterattack."
Sagawa of Aizu said so.

Commanding officers of the Tokugawa troops.
They did planning counterattack strategy.

　
・・・・・・・・・　
　

"Yoshinobu seems will go back to Edo from now.
Katamori also seems accompanied it."　

"Doing that is selection of the worst
Katamori had remonstrated so to Yoshinobu.
Yoshinobu but did not listen.
Come together!
Finally Yoshinobu did strict order angrily to Katamori."

At that time，this rumor had been flowing.

　
・・・・・・・・・

Aizu’s chief retainer asked for a meeting to Katamori.
　
"He is meeting to Yoshinobu now."
But this request was denied.
　
Aizu’s chief asked for a meeting many times.
　
"He is meeting to Yoshinobu now."
Each time，this request was denied.
　
During this time，Yoshinobu had ”escaped” from Osaka Castle.

come together

Yoshinobu was decided return to Edo.
But person who know this feedback.
It was only his confidants.

・・・・・・・・・

”Battle is yet to come.”

This era Osaka Castle was still a huge fortress.
(against weapons at the time.)
And Tokugawa was still a large troops.
　
"Departure for the front of Yoshinobu."
Soldiers were propose it to yoshinobu.
The morale of the soldiers was higher still.
　
・・・・・・・・・
　
"If this situation continues，I go back to the Edo is impossible."
Yoshinobu thought so.
　
He gathered the main person of Tokugawa troops.
　
”Tomorrow I will be departure to the forefront.”
He declared so.
Soldiers were rejoicing.
　
・・・・・・・・・　
　
”I greatly appreciate your efforts.
But the real battle is yet to come.
Please do your best.”
Katamori of Aizu lord.
He was talking to his vassals.
(Aizu had suffered enormous damage by this battle.）　
　
He was called from Yoshinobu at that time.

”I'm going back to Edo in secret.
Please come together.”

"Why became this situation？"
Osaka Castle was extremely confused.

"Does Tokugawa have someone like Saigo of Satsuma?"
"No".
"Does Tokugawa have someone like Okubo of Satsuma?"
"No."
　
"There is no reason that we can win."
Yoshinobu said so to his confidant.
　
"I did not want a war.
But I could not suppress the vassals.
The result became the war.
　
I aimed his gun at the Emperor.
Tokugawa became the enemy of the court.
　
I do not want to battle any more.
I'm going back to the Edo.
And I do penitence for the Emperor.
I think this is the best way for do not spread the war."
Yoshinobu also said so.
　
"Some adventurist.
They were carried out war on its own.
Shogun(Yoshinobu) has nothing to do.
　
If someone killed the Satsuma samurai at Osaka.
Tokugawa will be pay the prize for per capita
The person who said this previously.（Military commander of Tokugawa）
We punish him.　

And we stick to deference to the Emperor."
Yoshinobu’s confidant began political maneuvering.
　

selection

Tokugawa troops further retreated about 5 kilometers.
It was about halfway point of Kyoto and Osaka.


"We will hang on here.
And we will launch a counterattack."
Tokugawa military leaders decided so.
But everyone ignored it.

Front-line soldiers began to retreat in Osaka.

・・・・・・・・・

Opposite shore of Lake Biwa.
Northeast of Kyoto．
There was Hikone.
　

Here's lord was prestigious of Tokugawa regime.
Previous lord named ”Ii Naosuke”.
He became dictator of the Tokugawa.

　
He was executed national policy at only his discretion.
(It may have been a situation compelled to do so.)　
　

But at the same time he clamped down on his opponents.
Many people were executed.
　
Choshu samurai named ”Yoshida Torajiro”.
He was a master of Takasugi’s group.
He was also executed.

Then, Naosuke was assassinated by Mito samurai.　
(Mito was Yoshinobu's hometown.)　
This troublous times began in earnest at this time.
　
This Hikone.
They took part in the new government troops. 　

　

suffering

Yodo castle fell into the hands of the new government troops.
Tokugawa troops retreated about 2 km towards Osaka.

There was a place called ”Yamazaki”.
Three hundred years ago.
Battle to determine the those in power of Japan had been made here.

So Yamazaki was key area.

"We will build  battle position here.
Please you also fight back against Satsuma and Choshu troops."
Tokugawa had request to here's lord.

・・・・・・・・・
　
"Tokugawa is rebel troops.
Please you participate to the new government troops."
But they had its request from the Imperial court already.
They were suffering.

・・・・・・・・・　
　
Satsuma,Choshu,Tosa,Inaba.
The new government forces launched an attack.
(Sasaki of the Mimawarigumi was seriously injured at this time.)　　

”With crying.”
Here's lord had sent a letter to the Tokugawa.
And then they began shelling of the Tokugawa.
　
Tokugawa’s battle position collapsed easily.

reject

Tokugawa troops of Toba.
They went full retreat to Yodo.

Tokugawa troops of Fushimi had retreated to Yodo already.
　
Incidentally，Japanese accent of Yodo of Tosa is ”Youdou”. (Person)
This Yodo accent is ”Yodo”. (Place name)

・・・・・・・・・
　
Yodo was the important point that connects the Kyoto and Osaka.
There was Yodo Castle here.
A key figure in the Tokugawa was responsible for this castellan from generation to generation.
　
Castellan at that time was cabinet ministers of Tokugawa regime.
(Living in Edo.)
However，this castle had rejected the Tokugawa troops entry into a castle.
　
・・・・・・・・・
　
Tokugawa troops lost base for the counterattack.
Part of the new government troops began to advance beyond Yodo
Inaba clan of west Japan.
They also joined the new government troops.
　
”If this goes on
We must Besieged by them.”
　　
Further Tokugawa's retreat began.　

became

”Enemy's break through.
We must absolutely prevent."
Tokugawa strengthened battle position of Toba.


"Troops of Fushimi district suffered a setback already.
If enemy break through here.
Battle become one-sided."
Because there was a possibility that.


The terrain was also predominance for Tokugawa.
The new government forces struggled.

・・・・・・・・・
　
At that time，royalty was appeared this battle field as commander in chief.
Of course he was flying Imperial Flag.
　
Satsuma and Choshu became government forces.
Tokugawa became rebel army.
Everyone thought so.
　
・・・・・・・・・
　
Satsuma samurai named ”Oyama Yasuke.”
He was the younger cousin of Saigo.
When the Russo-Japanese War，he was commander in chief of the Japanese Army.
(Oyama Iwao)
　
He was an artillery captain at this time.
His troop ran out of a cannon shot
　
"Take the gun."
He ordered his subordinates.
And he started the assault to Tokugawa battle position.


 "Infantry soldiers can not be late than artillery soldiers."　
They were Satsuma.
Became a general assault.
Tokugawa's battle position was fell.