Welcome (of course includes the Tokugawa) ! By the way、it is meaningless、but like I am、everyone can make solve freely of course.

"But the Shinsengumi are stubborn as well. 

Are they still relying solely on charging with their Japanese swords？"

"Yes、they seem to have defined their position as 'auxiliary forces to the main force of Aizu and Kuwana,' and are taking charge of flanking attacks."

"Is that Hijikata san's policy？

However (the firepower of Aizu-Kuwana probably doesn't have the striking power to strike the enemy)..."

"No、Sasaki-san、it seems that's not the case."

Maeda said that and continued talking.

"It seems that there were many unscrupulous members of our army who abandoned new guns and cannons at the front lines when they retreated、and of course Aizu and Kuwana recovered them、but apparently it was a considerable amount."

"Moreover、it seems that there were many people who went out of their way to the front line and accidentally left behind their guns and cannons."

"What's the matter、Yo-chan？ Are you still holding a grudge about what happened the other day？"

"That's not true、Kiyo(lol).

Besides、there must have been many people on that front who 'overslept' and failed to retreat、just like there were on this front."

"Maeda-kun、is that so？"

All I heard at the strategy meeting was that the Shinsengumi were preventing the enemy's advance with sword charges."

"Since Captain Sasaki was absent due to attending a meeting、I sent a message to the Aizu army to confirm the facts at my discretion、and I am awaiting the results、but it seems to be true that their firepower has been significantly strengthened in a short period of time."

"Well、neither Aizu nor Kuwana will say anything for certain because it would cause inconvenience to a lot of people、but if it is true、it is reassuring.

･･･However、even if that was the case、the Shinsengumi would have a hard time as many would have been injured."

"Well、how about it？

But the Shinsengumi are all veteran warriors."

"That's right、and Sasaki Taichō、didn't you also say this？

No matter how much you bark orders at us with your face all red、we will never make a reckless charge that would only cost us our lives to the enemy.

In fact、we all live like this、right？"

"Hey Tora-san！oh、excuse me、Private First Class Atsumi、insubordination is punishable by death.

But Captain Sasaki、during the first battle、when I ignored orders and advanced too far and became isolated among the enemy、I would have died if Private First Class Atsumi had not charged the enemy with only his Japanese sword.

Shinsengumi are certainly all veteran warriors.

For them to choose that tactic as an offensive means must mean that the situation is well worth doing."

・・・・・・・・・

"I have an announcement to make！Satō Sakubī-dono has come as an envoy from the Aizu clan！"

"Satō Sakubī-san？Who could it be？I've never heard of it..."

"Oh、sorry、I thought so when the guard asked me my name twice、but my name is Satō Sakubē. I've only just come here、so I'm having a hard time losing my Aizu accent."

A young man in his mid-teen said this with a carefree smile as he came to the entrance of the cattle shed used as the unit's command center and saluted.

"Oh、you're Sakunohyoue-kun！You've grown so much."

"Yes、it's been a while、Your Excellency！"

"Hey、I'm just a site supervisor、stop calling me your excellency(lol).

That aside、if you'd introduced yourself that way、the guard wouldn't have got your name wrong."

"Well、that's...all my friends call me Dorongo Sakubī ; DoroSaku. I like working in the fields、and I like the sound of it too、so I call myself Sakubī."

"He is the son of someone who has looked after me since I was still a samurai of the Aizu clan.

Please come in and I'll listen to a message from Aizu."

"Yes、my father、ah、I'm sorry、I would like to convey a message from Sato Eisaku、acting commander of the Aizu clan's regional unit、to His Excellency Sasaki Tadasaburo、head of the rescue team for stranded persons;

'As of 13:30、all our conceivable members of the regional forces had been withdrawn south of the Kizugawa River.

At 13:45、our unit begin its advance、give a brief greeting to the enemy forces currently gathering in the Kumiyama area、and then we will withdrew south of the Kizugawa River.

Depending on the situation in your area、our unit may change its original plans and relocate to form a battle line with yours'."

"No、it's okay、We have now finished confirming the personnel of the final withdrawal force and have begun moving to the rear.

It's now 13:55、and we will begin moving to the rear in 30 minutes.

Please move according to your predetermined plan."

"Understood. I will now repeat His Excellency's message."

Five hours earlier、they had synchronized all pocket watches in the possession of their frontline troops to the same time.

"However、the fact that Sato san is in command of the unit means that something must have happened to Hayashi san？"

"No、um... Commander Hayashi is doing well、but... he had been up all night、so he took a short nap on the riverbed while wearing his armor...."

"This cold weather has made his back pain worse？"

"Yes、we asked him to light a bonfire next to him、at least when he was taking a nap、but we was reprimanded、saying that the smoke would be targeted by enemy shells..."

As a result、the commander was in a state where he could not stand up."

"I see、I understand. Don't worry. It happened to Hayashi-san often when I was close to him as a fellow Aizu samurai. He himself knows that this will happen、so he should be careful、but he is very stubborn. Okay、it's a seasonal occurrence、and will heal soon.

Then、Sakubē-kun、be careful and return to your unit.

It's the messenger's job until he finishes reporting the results to the commander. “

"Thank you sir！

I、Satō Sakubī、will now return to my affiliated unit to report！"

"Ah、I would like to ask you something、Sato-kun、I believe that a member of our unit called Okabayashi is currently at the Aizu camp as a liaison officer."

Maeda called out to Sato、who was about to salute and leave.

"Ah、it's Ōbayashi-san. He certainly came to the Aizu camp."

"Obayashi？ His name is Okabayashi."

"No sir、he belongs to the same haiku club as my father、so his name is Obayashi-san.

"Ah、Obayashi Nobuhiko is his pen name and his real name is Okabayashi Nobuhiko."

Sasaki interrupted their conversation and said this.

"Apparently he started using the pen name to encourage his younger brother Okabayashi Nobuyasu to be more independent、but I don't know the details(lol)."

※☟Original text as of 5:08am, 1/1/2019(japan time). 2024081514:06(japan time).

Saturday, 2 February 2013

reject

Tokugawa troops of Toba、they went full retreat to Yodo.
(Tokugawa troops of Fushimi had retreated to Yodo already.)
　
Incidentally，Japanese accent of Tosa's Yodo 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.
　
・・・・・・・・・

Due to this situation、Tokugawa troops lost base for the counterattack.
Around that time、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 surrounded by enemies here."　
Further Tokugawa's retreat began.　

Sunday, 3 February 2013

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、the battle to determine the power of Japan was fought here.
Yamazaki was a strategic point.

"We will build battle position here.
Please you also fight back against Satsuma and Choshu troops."
Tokugawa had request so 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 and Inaba.
The new government forces launched an attack.
(Sasaki of the Mimawarigumi was seriously injured at this time.)　　

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

Monday, 4 February 2013

selection

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

"We will reunite the troops 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.
　
The lord here was prestigious of Tokugawa regime.
As previously mentioned、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 by him.
　
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 that time.
　
This Hikone.
They took part in the new government troops.

※☝Original text as of 5:08am, 1/1/2019(japan time). 2024081514:06(japan time).

"Well、it was very hard work(lol). Hijikata-san also asked me to take Hayashi-san with me、even if it was just to the other side of the river.

Of course、this was a joke、but some people thought that Hayashi-san had faked an illness in order to stay on the battlefield.

Because he never tried to move from that spot.

'In the event of a counterattack、we will all be sure to ask Aizu-Chūjō to make Hayashi-san the spearhead general of the Aizu army. '

With this promise、Hayashi-san finally agreed to advance south with the artillery units."

"Does this mean that attacks will be carried out without preparatory artillery fire on the enemy or supporting fire on friendly forces？"

"Yes、our retreat is obvious to the enemy、and currently the enemy seems to be focusing on securing the occupied territories as a whole. There are not many enemy scouts in the contested areas -one of the reasons for this may be that the Shinsengumi poses a threat to the enemy in close combat inside the city-、and they do not seem to have any intention of launching an aggressive offensive at the moment.

Well、the enemy must find the mysterious movements of our army、which is stronger than them in both size and armament、a bit eerie(lol).

In such a battle situation、and considering our absolute objective、it seemed that our army decided that there was no need to forcefully stir up the brush.

After all、they are full of battle-hardened masters、so I think our troops attacks will probably be nothing more than a 'greetings'.

Well、it seemed that the Aizu clan was going to send a messenger to Sasaki-san、and I had actually intended to accompany them on their 'greetings'、but Hijikata-san asked me to do so.

Well、if we think about Iwata-san、we can understand Hayashi san's feelings、right？"

'Having you close to the upper echelons of the organization、rather than on the front lines of the battlefield、will definitely help us in the future.

That is your battlefield、and it is a job that only you can do.'

They said this and woke Iwata up.

※Sagawa Kanbei of Aizu、who happened to see the scene of the persuasion、later laughed and told Sasaki、"At first、I thought for sure that everyone was trying to get Iwata-san to do the tumebara (lol)". 2024081606:47(japan time).

"So、was Hayashi-san able to safely retreat to the rear？"

"I don't know ; 'What are you doing in a place like this！Return to your unit now！'.

He scolded me so before we even left、and then kicked me out once we'd crossed the bridge -made by lining up boats(lol).

Well、of course the enemy's movements are unpredictable、but when Hayashi-san kicked me out、he had raised his upper body、even though he was supposed to have been lying on the handcart(lol)、so he's probably OK."

"But if you had been slower to return to your unit、you might have rushed into the enemy's midst with the intention of returning to your unit.

You should be grateful to Hayashi-san (lol)."

"I'm not that absent-minded(lol).

That aside、I'd like to share a message from Hijikata-san."

"Hijikata-san？"

"Yes.

A series of battles demonstrated that a volley of gunfire followed by a flank charge with Japanese swords had devastating power against an enemy.

However、the reason this tactic was so destructive was probably because it was unknown to the enemy.

In the future、enemies will likely quickly develop ways to counter this tactic.

Therefore、I believe this tactic will only be extremely effective against enemies for a limited period of time.

My bigger concern is that the enemy will likely quickly copy and use this tactic in their attacks against our own forces.

I would like to have everyone share our detailed battle reports with yours as soon as possible.

I would like you to use these as a reference to come up with advanced tactics、and most importantly、ways to counter this tactic."

"Hmm、I see."

"Having said that, the reason why the artillery was forced to retreat first was because of the slow movement speed of the artillery, but also because the accuracy that would be effective in this tactic could not be expected when bombarding in a situation where retreat was assumed. It seems like that's a big reason.

I guess it's not so simple that others can just hear about it and immediately imitate it.

Ah、that's right. Hijikata-san had said that this series of operations would probably be the Shinsengumi's final sortie as a swordsmanship group."

・・・・・・・・・

'All units have completed moving to their designated locations.

However、this area is a vast plain、and we do not have enough troops to establish a front line in the entire proposed battlefield area.

In particular、if the enemy advances into the area west of the Yodo River、we will not be able to respond with our current forces.

Please send reinforcements as soon as possible.'

Requests for reinforcements like this were sent one after another from the front lines to Osaka Castle.

※"Oh、it's starting to snow."

After offering his respects at Mannenji Temple in Hirakata、Sasaki looked up at the sky. 2024081606:53(japan time).