Battle of Toba-Fushimi

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle of Toba-Fushimi


caption="Top": Engagement of Toba. Shogunate forces on the left, Satsuma forces on the right.
"Middle": engagement of Fushimi (near Takasegawa). Shogunate forces are on the left, including battalions from Aizu. On the right are forces from Chōshū and Tosa.
"Bottom": Encounter of Tominomori. Shogunate forces on the left, Chōshū forces on the right.
partof=Boshin War
date=27 January 1868–31 January 1868
place=Kyoto
result=Decisive Imperial victory
combatant1=Satsuma, Chōshū, Tosa
later: Yodo, Tsu
combatant2=Tokugawa shogunate, Aizu, Kuwana, Takamatsu, Tsu, Matsuyama, Ōgaki
commander1=Ruler: Meiji EmperorArmy: Saigō Takamori
later:Prince Komatsu Akihito
commander2=Shogun: Tokugawa YoshinobuArmy: Takenaka Shigekata, Takigawa Tomoakira, Sakuma Nobuhisa, Matsudaira Masatada, Hayashi Gonsuke, Sagawa Kanbei, others
strength1=5,000 combatants
strength2=15,000 combatants
casualties1=unknown
casualties2=unknown|

The nihongo|Battle of Toba-Fushimi|鳥羽・伏見の戦い|Toba-Fushimi no Tatakai occurred between pro-Imperial and Tokugawa shogunate forces during the Boshin War in Japan. The battle started on 27 January 1868 (January 3 according to the Lunar calendar), when the forces of the Tokugawa shogunate and the allied forces of Chōshū, Satsuma and Tosa domains clashed near Fushimi. The battle lasted for four days, ending in a decisive defeat for the Tokugawa shogunate.

Background

On 4 January 1868, the restoration of Imperial rule was formally proclaimed. Shogun Tokugawa Yoshinobu had earlier resigned his authority to the emperor, agreeing to "be the instrument for carrying out" imperial orders. [ Satow, p. 282.] The Tokugawa Shogunate had ended. [Keene, p. 116. See also Jansen, pp. 310–1.] However, while Yoshinobu's resignation had created a nominal void at the highest level of government, his apparatus of state continued to exist. Moreover, the Tokugawa family remained a prominent force in the evolving political order. [Keene, pp. 120–1, and Satow, p. 283. Moreover, Satow (p. 285) speculates that Yoshinobu had agreed to an assembly of daimyos on the hope that such a body would restore him to reinstate him.] a prospect hard-liners from Satsuma and Chōshū found intolerable. [Satow, p. 286.]

Although the majority fifteen-year-old Emperor Meiji’s consultative assembly was happy with the formal declaration of direct rule by the Court and tended to support a continued collaboration with the Tokugawa, Saigō Takamori physically threatened members of the assembly into ordering the confiscation of Yoshinobu's lands. [During a recess, Saigō, who had his troops outside, "remarked that it would take only one short sword to settle the discussion" (Keene, p. 122). Original quotation ja: "短刀一本あればかたづくことだ." in Hagiwara, p. 42. ] Although he initially agreed to the Court’s demands, on 17 January 1868, Yoshinobu declared "that he would not be bound by the proclamation of the Restoration and called on the Court to rescind it." [Keene, p. 124.] On 24 January, after considerable provocation by Satsuma " ronin " in Edo, Yoshinobu, from his base at Osaka Castle decided to prepare an attack on Kyoto, ostensibly to dislodge the Satsuma and Chōshū elements dominating the Court and “freeing” young Emperor Meiji from their influence.

Preparations

The battle started with Shogunal forces moved in the direction of Kyoto to deliver a letter by Yoshinobu, warning the Emperor of the intrigues plotted by Satsuma and the court nobles who supported it, such as Iwakura Tomomi. [Yamakawa Kenjirō. "Aizu Boshin Senshi". Tokyo: Tokyo Daigaku Shuppankai, 1933, pp. 89-90]

The 15,000-strong Shogunal army outnumbered the Satsuma- Chōshū army by 3:1, and consisted mostly of men from the Kuwana, and Aizu domains, reinforced by "Shinsengumi" irregulars. Although some of its members were mercenaries, others had received training by French military advisers. The majority of the men deployed in the front lines remained armed in archaic fashion, with pikes and swords. It is important to note that there was not a clearly defined intent to fight on their part, attested to by the fact that many of the men in the vanguard had rifles which were empty.

Although the forces of Chōshū and Satsuma were outnumbered, they were fully modernized with Armstrong howitzers, Minié rifles and a few Gatling guns.

Combat of January 27

At around 1700 hours 27 January 1868, the Shogunal vanguard, made up largely of the men of the "Mimawarigumi" under Sasaki Tadasaburo, approached a Satsuma-manned barrier post at Toba (located in what is now part of Minami-ku, Kyoto). After denying the Shogunal force permission to pass peacefully, the Satsuma force opened fired from the flank. A Satsuma shell exploded on a gun carriage next to the horse of Shogunal commander Takigawa Tomotaka, causing the horse to throw Takigawa and bolt. The startled horse ran wild, throwing the Shogunal column into panic and disarray. [ Keene, Emperor Meiji and His World, page 126]

Sasaki ordered his men to charge the Satsuma gunners, but since the Mimawarigumi was armed only with spears and swords, his men were killed en masse. [Yamakawa, pp. 94-95] However, the Kuwana forces and a unit under Kubota Shigeaki held their ground, making the skirmish rage on inconclusively. [Yamakawa, p. 95] These were to be the first shots of the Boshin War.

On the same day, Satsuma-Chōshū forces in further south at Fushimi also inconclusively engaged Shogunal forces in their area. [Sasaki Suguru, Boshin Sensō. Tokyo: Chuokōron-shinsha, 2004, p. 178. ]

Events of January 28

On January 28th, Iwakura Tomomi gave Saigo Takamori and Okubo Toshimichi, forged orders from Emperor Meiji proclaiming Tokugawa Yoshinobu and his followers to be enemies of the Court, authorizing their suppression by military force, and granting use of the Imperial brocade banners. [Ishii Takashi, "Ishin no nairan". Tokyo: Shiseido, 1968, 11-17; Sasaki Suguru, "Taisei hokan to tobaku mitchoku," Jinbun gahuho 80 [March 1997] , 28-29.] These brocade banners were also forged, having been made by Okubo Toshimichi a few months previously, and stored in Chōshū domain and in the Satsuma Kyoto residence until an appropriate opportunity presented itself. [Iwata, Masakazu. "Okubo Toshimichi: the Bismarck of Japan." Berkeley: University of California Press, 1964, 114.]

In addition, Imperial Prince Yoshiaki, a youth of twelve who had lived as a Buddhist monk at the "monzeki" temple of Ninna-ji was named nominal Commander in Chief of the army. Although the Prince had no military experience, this nomination effectively transformed the Satsuma-Chōshū alliance forces into an Imperial army (or "Kangun"), which proved to be a powerful tool of psychological warfare, sending Shogunal forces into confusion and disarray, since anyone who fired on the army would automatically become a traitor to the Emperor.

Events of January 29

On the third day of the battle, both sides had settled down to an artillery duel and appeared evenly matched. Around noon, the Imperial brocade banner appeared from behind the Satsuma- Chōshū lines. At first, neither side recognized the strange banner. Messengers had to be send to both sides to explain what it was. Shogunal forces were thrown into confusion and Satsuma- Chōshū forces, their morale boosted, drew swords and charged the Tokugawa lines. The Shogunal forces attempted to counter-attack, but were forced to retreat in disarray. [Hillsborough, Shinsengumi: The Shogun's Last Samurai Corps, page 142]

Outcome

After the battle, Shogunal forces attempted to regroup at Yodo Castle, but were refused admission, as the "daimyo" of Yodo Domain had decided to defect to the Imperial side on the appearance of the Imperial banner and defeat of the Shogunal forces. The "daimyo" of strategically located Tsu Domain followed two days later. At Osaka Castle, Tokugawa Yoshinobu gathered his advisors and military leaders to plan strategy, and to boost morale, advised that he would personally take to the field as commander of "bakufu" forces. That evening, he slipped away from Osaka Castle accompanied by the daimyō of Aizu and Kuwana, to escape back to Edo on the shogunate warship "Kaiyō maru". As "Kaiyō maru" had not arrived, he took refuge for the night on an American warship, USS "Iroquois" anchored in Osaka Bay. The "Kaiyō maru" arrived the following day. When the remnants of his forces learned that the Shogun had abandoned them, they departed Osaka Castle, which was later surrendered to Imperial forces without resistance. Yoshinobu later claimed that he had been disturbed by the Imperial approval given to the actions of Satsuma and Chōshū, and once the brocade banner had appeared, he had lost all will to fight. [ Keene, Emperor Meiji and His World, page 127]

French advisors Jules Brunet and Cazeneuve, who were present at the battle, left Osaka and returned to Edo on January 12, together with Enomoto Takeaki onboard the "Fujisan". Enomoto brought with him various documents and a treasure of 180,000 ryō. They arrived in Edo on January 14.

Consequences

The effects of the Battle of Toba-Fushimi were out of proportion to its small scale. The prestige and morale of the Tokugawa "bakufu" was seriously weakened, and many "daimyo" who had remained neutral now declared in favor of the Emperor and offered military support to prove their new loyalties. Even more significantly, the ill-conceived attempt by Tokugawa Yoshinobu to regain control silenced elements within the new imperial government who favored a peaceful resolution to the conflict. [Sims, Japanese Political History Since the Meiji Renovation 1868-2000, page 14 ] Osaka Castle, an important symbol of Tokugawa hegemony over western Japan fell to Imperial forces. The victory set a course for a military settlement rather than a political compromise.

Notes

References

*Fukushima Hiroshi. "Bakumatsu Ishin: Yume no Ato Kikō". Tokyo: Kyōiku Shoseki, 1990.
*cite book
last = Hillsborough
first = Romulus
coauthors =
year = 2005
title = Shinsengumi: The Shogun's Last Samurai Corps
publisher = Tuttle Publishing
location =
id = ISBN 0804836272
*
*cite book
last = Sims
first = Richard
authorlink =
year = 2001
title = Japanese Political History Since the Meiji Renovation 1868-2000
publisher = Palgrave Macmillan
location =
id = ISBN 0312239157
*cite book
last = Sims
first = Richard
authorlink =
coauthors =
year = 1998
title = French Policy Towards the Bakufu and Meiji Japan 1854-1894
publisher = RoutledgeCurzon
location =
id = ISBN 1-873410-61-1
*Totman, Conrad. "Collapse of the Tokugawa Bakufu, 1862-1868". Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press, 1980.
*Yamakawa Kenjirō. "Hōshu Aizu Byakkōtai Jūkyūshi-den". Aizu-Wakamatsu: Aizu Chōrei Gikai, 1926.
*Yamakawa Kenjirō. "Aizu Boshin Senshi". Tokyo: Tokyo Daigaku Shuppankai, 1933.

External links

* National Archives of Japan: [http://jpimg.digital.archives.go.jp/kouseisai/category/emaki/boshin_e.html "Boshinshoyo Kinki oyobi Gunki Shinzu," precise reproduction of Imperial Standard and the colors used by Government Army at Battle of Toba-Fushimi]