Battle of Koshu-Katsunuma

• Bakufu loyalists Vs. Emperor loyalists
  • Date: 1868/3/6
  • Location: Katsunuma
  • Japanese:甲州勝沼の戦い(Kôshû Katsunuma no tatakai)

Boshin War Toba-Fushimi - Koshu-Katsunuma - Utsunomiya castle - Ueno - Hokuetsu - Aizu - Hakodate

The Shinsengumi returned to Edo after the Battle of Toba-Fushimi. Kondô Isami, the commander of Shinsengumi, visited Katsu Kaishû in Edo castle, where he asked to go to Kôfu castle to meet the Imperial troops. Katsu had no idea that the Shinsengumi would try to block off the imperial troops. But Kondô's real intention was taking over the castle. Kondô recruited new members and reformed the Shinsengumi as the Kôyô Chinbutai. On 3/1, The Kôyô Chinbutai took Kôshu avenue to Katsunuma. They were welcomed in the towns on the way because the region was home of the main Shinsengumi members including Kondô (who was using the alias Okubo Tsuyoshi), Hijikata (who was using the alias Naito Hayato).

The battle of Koshu Katsunuma

The welcome parties slowed them down considerably. As the result, Kôfu castle was occupied by the Imperial troops before they arrived. Almost half of the Kôyô Chinbutai members deserted before arriving at Katsunuma. They were defeated within 2 hours. Right before the battle, Hijikata alone went back to Hachiôji to ask Nappatai, which was the unit formed by Hatamoto for support. But the Nappatai ignored the request.

References

• Bakumatsu Boshin Seinan Senso (幕末戊辰西南戦争) Gakken 2006
• Illustrated Boshin War (イラストでみる戊辰戦争) Shinjinbutsu Oraisha 1988
• Shinsengumi Shiroku (新撰組史録) Hirao Michio
• Boshin Senso Zenshi (戊辰戦争全史) Ito Seiro, Kikuchi Akira