Battle of Toba-Fushimi

• Bakufu loyalists Vs. Emperor loyalists
  • Date: 1868/1/3-6
  • Location: Toba, Fushimi

Former Shogun Tokugawa Yoshinobu moved to Osaka castle from Nijo castle after Ôsei Fukko in December 1867. Satsuma needed to lure the Tokugawa into war in order to destroy the power of the Bakufu, so they had Ronin terrorize Edo. On 1868/1/2 Bakufu retainers left Osaka for Kyoto to subdue the forces of Satsuma. Bakufu Loyalist forces numbered around 10,000~15,000. They were opposed by pro-Imperial forces of about 3500~5000 which were advancing upon Fushimi from the north. Most of these troops were from Satsuma, but contingents from Tosa and Choshu were also present.

Jan 3

The battle started near Koeda bridge in Toba. Satsuma's units fired at the Bakufu troops. The Bakufu's commander believed that Satsuma would yield the way if they saw the 10,000 troops. Therefore, despite the enemy fire, the Bakufu were not expecting a battle and did not engage the Satsuma forces.

At same time, the Satsuma-Choshu alliance forces and the Bakufu troops started firing at each other in Fushimi area. Satsuma positioned at Gokogu which was higher than Fushumi Bugyo where Bakufu troops positioned. Satsuma forces were easily able to aim their enemies but the Bakufu troops were having hard time to see Satsuma forces. The Shinsengumi engaged Satsuma forces armed with artillery that occupied a hill overlooking their position. This foolhardy charge against a well fortified hilltop position bristling with guns had predictable results, and the Shinsengumi were roughed up badly. 30 of their men were killed. Many more were wounded or deserted. Surprisingly, the Bakufu troop commander Takenaka Shigetaka was missing during the battle. The incompetence of the commanders caused disadvantage to the Bakufu troops in both Toba and Fushimi. The Bakufu troops retreated to Yodo at the night.

Jan 4,5

The battles in Toba and Fushimi continued. Jan 5, Emperor Meiji gave the Imperial flag and a sword to prince Ninnajinomiya Yoshiaki who was chosen to be commander of Imperial troops. When the flag appeared at the front line, it confused the Bakufu troops.

The defeated Bakufu troops tried to enter Yodo castle. The castle was residence of Inaba Masakuni who was Roju (High rank Bakufu retainer. He was in Edo at the time). But the castle didn't open the gate and the Bakufu troops had to retreat to South.

Jan 6

Todo clan of Tsu han also betrayed Bakufu and Aki han joined the Imperial troops. The batrayals shocked Bakufu troops, they became demoralized and defeated. Then the wait-and-see Gosanke and many han in West decided to take the Imperial troop side. When the Bakufu troops retreated to Osaka, their master Tokugawa Yoshinobu was already gone. He and Matsudaira Katamori, Matsudaira Sadaaki,Itakura Katsukyo(Roju),Sakai Tadato (Roju) escaped from Osaka castle secretly and took a ship to Edo.

Bakufu Loyalist troops

• Toba Area
  • Commander: Takigawa Tomotaka
  • Infantry Unit1: 1000 (Tokugawa Dewanokami)
  • Infantry Unit5: 800 (Akiyama Shimousanokami)
  • Denshutai: ? (Ogasawara Iwaminokami)
  • Mimawarigumi: 400 (Sasaki Tadasaburo)
  • Kuwana han force: ?(Hattori Hanzo)
  • Ogaki han force: 500 (Obara Tadamichi)
  • Hamada han force: 30 (?)

• Fushimi Area
  • Commander: Takenaka Shigetaka
  • Infantry Unit4: 1000 (Yokota Izunokami)
  • Infantry Unit7: 800 (Osawa Kenichiro)
  • Infantry Unit11: 900 (Sakuma Shigehisa)
  • Infantry Unit12: ? (Kubota Shigeaki)
  • Denshutai: ?
  • Yugekitai: 50 (Imahori Echizennokami)
  • Aizu han forces: ? 7 units
  • Shinsengumi: 150 (Hijikata Toshizo)
  • Takamatsu han: 300 (Miyake Kageyoshi?)
  • Toba han: 98 (Inagaki Kurobe)

Imperial troops

• Satsuma han forces: 2600?
• Choshu han forces: 659
• Tosa han forces: ?

References

• Hillsborough, Romulus Shinsengumi:The Shogun’s Last Samurai Corps North Clarenden:Tuttle Publishing, 2005
• 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
• Sotokufu Archives