Shiraishi Castle in the southern part of Sendai Domain's Katata County is bordered by the Shiroishi River to the north, Mount Bosen to the west, and Mount Daizo to the east. Since the seventh year of Keicho (1602), it has been the fiefdom of the Katakura family, an important minister of the Date family, which is where
The castle is the residence of "Katakura Kojuro", known as one of the "Two Great Accompanyers in the World" and world-famous as the one-eyed dragon Masamune's military advisor.
During the Genwa War period, under the "One Country, One City Order" issued by the shogunate, almost all the daimyo in the island country except their residential castles were destroyed, and only a few outer castles were preserved. Because Katakura Kojuro was so famous, Tokugawa
The shogunate regarded the Shiraishi Katakura family as a minor daimyo, and specially allocated a residence to the Katakura family in Edo Castle, so Shiroishi Castle became a special case.
(Shiroishi Castle was demolished after the Meiji era. What I see when I travel now is that it was rebuilt later.)
The Katakura family has always been an important minister in the Sendai Domain, with a height of 18,000 koku, and is the chief of the family. The Sendai Domain has deployed multiple important ministers on the southeastern and northern borders, each responsible for the defense of key passes.
; However, only the Katakura family is placed on the southwest side that should be said to be the front. In addition, the residence granted to the Katakura family in Sendai Castle is on the southwest side of the bridge outside Otemon, and the Hirose River is led into the moat with stone bank protection.
This place is also the hub of Sendai Castle’s peripheral defense.
The reason why Shiroishi Castle is important is that it is located at the key point of Oshu Street, guarding the north and south. If the shogunate army wants to attack the Sendai Domain from the land, this is the place they must pass through. After passing here, heading north, you will reach Hirasawa and Adachi.
,Moting,Sendai Castle.
The person currently in charge of guarding Shiroishi Castle is Nori Katakura, the 9th generation of the Katakura family. This 29-year-old man, whose pen name is "Kiki", is also known as Kojuro in Sendai Domain. He is known to be brave and resourceful. In order to ensure that Shiroishi Castle does not lose its
, after Ishikawamura Fumi contacted Zhao Xin, two companies from the Aoba Battalion and the Northern Navy were also transferred here to assist the Katakura family in their defense.
On the shogunate side, Matsudaira Sadanobu, the leader of the shogunate, could not leave Edo Castle easily, so the person who led the land feint attack force was Hitachi Kasama Domain 2nd Head, and Makino Sadadaga, the shogunate's senior leader. This man has excellent political ability and is good at handling affairs.
He was decisive and won the trust of the Tokugawa family.
After Makino Sadaga led an army of 10,000 to the north, he set up his command post in Fukushima Castle of the Fukushima Domain, facing off against the Sendai Domain army of Shiroishi Castle. The two armies were more than 70 miles apart.
A difficult boy to deal with.
Fifty-four-year-old Makino Sadaga views Katakura Muranori like this. Since he can be called the reincarnation of Katakura Kojuro, he must not take it lightly. Moreover, this Kasama Marquis has sent spies to find out who is stationed outside Shiroishi Castle.
A team of troops was formed that had been trained by the Beihai Navy for a year. Each of them was equipped with repeating punches and double guns.
Makino Sadaga had seen the Northern Navy fight against the Tokugawa Navy, but he didn't know the combat effectiveness of Sendai Domain's 500-man army. He had stayed put since arriving at Fukushima Castle. He was waiting for reinforcements from Mito Domain.
Waiting for news about the dispatch of naval forces from Edo.
Three days later, a messenger brought news from Edo that the Tokugawa navy had set off, and Matsudaira ordered him to attack Shiroishi Castle immediately.
If the delay continues, food will soon be insufficient, and once the war drags on into winter, winter clothes will have to be prepared for the rebel army, which will be a huge financial burden for the shogunate.
At eight o'clock in the evening on October 6, the seventh year of Tenmei, Makino Sadaga led the rebel army to leave Fukushima Castle and go north.
That night, the sky was dark. Only the flames of torches illuminated the feet of the army heading north. They marched all the way through the territory of Fukushima Domain, and arrived at the southern foot of Mount Posen to rest at dawn. From here, they crossed the mountain road to the north.
It can reach directly to the foot of Baishi Castle.
When the shogunate's rebel army began to set up camp, the nearby village chief led the villagers to deliver food and drinking water to the rebel army. These were customary, and whoever entered the territory must entertain them.
On the other side, the spies sent by the Katakura family had learned about the movements of the shogunate army and immediately reported to Shiroishi Castle.
"How many enemy troops have come?" Katakura Muranori asked. At this time, the retainers of the Katakura family and the acting commander of the Aoba Battalion, Chai Tadashi, gathered in the meeting hall of Shiroishi Castle.
"All the troops are out of Fukushima Castle."
Katakura Muranori looked at Chai Zhong and said: "How do you think we should respond? Should we go out of the city to fight."
With the military strength of Katata County, it cannot resist the attack of 10,000 soldiers and horses, so now we are counting on the Aoba Camp.
Chai Zhong replied without hesitation: "Kutian Shou can sit firmly in the city, and we will fight this battle."
Katakura Muranori said in surprise: "There are only seven hundred of you? How can you win this battle?"
Chai Zhong said with confidence: "Seven hundred people are enough. If there are too many people, we will not be able to turn around in Ma Niuzuma."
Katakura Muranori said: "Are you going to Mauniuma?"
The place the two were talking about was a small lake located southwest of Shiroishi City. Oxen and horse-drawn carriages on the Oshu Road would stop there to drink water, hence the name.
Ever since the Aoba Battalion arrived at Shiroishi Castle, they had already scouted out the various places along the southern post road. With so many troops and horses coming from the Tokugawa family, they would definitely stop at Mauniuma. The deputy battalion commander sent by the Northern Navy was discussing with Shiba Tada.
Finally, we decided to fight there.
The autumn rain wets the heaven and earth.
The vanguard of the Tokugawa Army (1,500 men) left the camp at the southern foot of Mount Posen and headed north. Halfway there, the rain became more intense, and the heavy pounding turned the ground white.
The general walking in the middle of the team controlled the reins and ordered to his men: "Hold it! Hold on!"
It was really unbearable! It had been years since they had marched like this, and all the Tokugawa troops secretly complained incessantly.
"Damn the rebels!" The imperial family member holding the flag cursed the group of rebels from the Sendai clan in his heart.
At this time, the whole army was silent, and everyone was reaching the limit of their endurance. The horses had straw in their mouths, and in order to prevent the human leg armors from making a sound when they collided, everyone's leg armors were tied with ropes from the waist down.
Tight, and don’t use lights.
The sky and the earth were pitch black.
In this pitch-black night, everyone followed closely the person in front and kept moving in one direction. On the north side of the road, a bonfire that had been doused with oil was burning brightly. Everyone in the vanguard team knew that,
After the bonfire, there is Ma Niu Marsh.
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! From a distance, the bonfire looks like a red spirit dancing in the dark night, just like the sacrificial fire praying to Tosho Shrine before departure, constantly fluttering in the dark night.
The march was extremely difficult. The rain hit the Tokugawa army's helmets and armor, flowed through their underwear, and made their bodies wet. The northwest wind accompanied by the autumn rain blew up, and from time to time a whirlwind blew up above the team's heads, cruelly sweeping away everything
Human body temperature.
A Hatamoto, holding two guns, murmured: "What is Baishi City doing at this time?"
The companion in front of him kept walking and responded: "Maybe he should just curl up in the bed and sleep."
...
On the two hills to the north of Ma Niuma, the Aoba Battalion, which was divided into two ambush forces, and the two companies of the Northern Navy had been waiting for a long time. In order not to be discovered by the enemy, they were hidden in the woods on the opposite slope of the two hills.
inside.
At this time, the sky was beginning to lighten up, and a spy from the Katakura family wearing a raincoat ran over from the path behind the hill on the east side of Ma Niu Marsh. The slippery forest floor made him almost fall down several times.
"Sir, the Tokugawa Army will arrive in ten miles!"
Chai Zhong perked up and asked, "How many people are here?"
"With more than a thousand people, it looks like a well-organized operation."
The formation of the Tokugawa Army generally consists of the iron artillery group, the gun group, the flag group, the horse team, the flag seal team, the general, as well as apprentices and trainees, as well as Xiaoheto (logistics mules and horses). This kind of
The organization is very suitable for small-scale operations in narrow terrain, but it is not conducive to large-scale joint operations. At the same time, it lacks a strong impact force in siege of cities and land. Although there are small logistics troops to follow, it can only carry out some short and shallow assault operations.
Task.
Chai Zhong first used a walkie-talkie to notify the Bei Haijun behind the hill on the west side, and then conveyed the order to the Aoba Battalion: "Everyone enters the combat position and waits for the attack order."
After five o'clock in the morning, the vanguard of the Tokugawa Army arrived at the roadside on the southeast side of Ma Niuzuma. At this time, the rain had subsided a little, but the mist started to drift.
Everyone is extremely tired, but in order to win, they cannot be allowed to rest.
"Start immediately and build the fence!"
The general gave the order to Monogashira. All the samurai and ashigaru became civilian workers again, some carrying building materials, and some digging the ground with shovels.
Soon, the fence was erected.
An ashigaru holding a bow and arrow stood behind the fence, looking at the misty wilderness outside, and his heart suddenly seemed to be grabbed by someone, and he suddenly lifted it up.
"Who? Who's there!"
The companion next to me yawned and scolded: "What nonsense are you talking about? At this time..."
Before he finished speaking, a cluster of blood splashed on the face of the man holding the bow and arrow, followed closely by the sound of a gunshot that resounded across the wilderness.
"boom!"
The ashigaru holding the bow and arrow had his eyes split open, and his companion had fallen heavily to the ground. Just as he was about to scream in panic, he felt a blazing heat pass through his neck, and then he fell to the ground.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!"
In the thin mist, figures began to move, not on one side, but on three sides, northwest and east.
A shrill whistle suddenly sounded from the hillside to the north, non-stop for a long time. The short and violent gunshots of the Type 84 revolver came from far and near, and suddenly sounded like firecrackers outside the gate of the Tokugawa barracks. The entire forward prepared was in chaos.
.
"The Sendai clan guys are coming to kill us!"
"Run quickly!"
The general held a two-chamber gun and stood in the center of the camp and shouted: "No one is allowed to mess up! The iron artillery team is fighting back! Fight to the death! Fight to the death!"
Several Hatakemotos drew their swords and shouted angrily at the ashigaru who fled in panic: "Those who retreat, behead them!"
In order to boost morale, the general shouted: "There are not many enemy troops! We will fight to the death!"
Although he knew his advantage and disadvantage to his subordinates, it was too late. The match ropes of the iron artillery team had not yet been lit. Most of the archers had just hung up their bow strings and hurriedly shot at the shaking figures outside the camp.
They didn't care whether they hit the arrow or not, they just kept shooting out all the arrows in their hands.
The people from the Aoba Battalion were approaching. They had arrived outside the Tokugawa Army's camp fence. More than a dozen people put their guns through the gaps in the fence. Their fingers were holding the triggers, and their gloved left hands were constantly pulling the triggers.
With the hammer on, the six bullets were quickly poured out.
The archery team was beaten to the point of running away, leaving dozens of corpses behind.
"Boom!" I don't know who it was, igniting one of the two Franco machine guns in the military camp. Dozens of shotgun shells mixed with iron sand were sprayed directly on several Qingye Camp soldiers who had rushed into the camp.
, the screams of the person who was shot sounded heartbreaking.
"Charge! Kill!" From the west side of the Tokugawa military camp, the whistle blew rapidly without stopping at all. A company of the Northern Navy rushed out of the white mist with sharp bayonets.
They rushed to 20 meters in front of the camp, then took out the grenade from their waists, pulled the fuse, and threw it towards the densely populated area.
"Grenade! Pay attention to concealment!"
Voices in Mandarin were shouted one after another. The Qingye Camp men and horses who had just rushed into the camp turned around in fright and jumped out of the fence. Those who had no time to run quickly fell to the ground with their heads in their hands.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!" A ball of fire rose up from the gun position of the Franchise gun just now, and the gunner of the Tokugawa Army who was changing his gun was immediately buried in the flames.
The Tokugawa Army teams were in chaos, crying for their fathers and mothers. They were like chickens and ducks being driven away, running towards the south; those who retreated collided with those who were frightened and stood still, and it was out of control. Team leader
The team members cannot be seen, the team leader cannot see the team leader, the team members are mixed into other people's teams, and the command has no effect.
The general was wearing pitch-black armor, with a blood-red sleeveless coat, making him the most conspicuous target in the eyes of the attacking North Navy.
"I am the Tokugawa family..."
"Bang!" "Bang!"
There was a rifle shot on the left, and two revolver shots in succession on the right. The general didn't even call the door, and fell headlong into the muddy water.
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! A company commander from the Aoba Camp rushed to the southeast of the Tokugawa Army camp with his men, and lay down behind a slope next to Ma Niu Marsh. Two hundred 84
The revolvers were lined up in a row, aiming at the Tokugawa troops who were retreating here.
They opened fire together, the roar suddenly became loud, and countless white smoke rose from behind the slope.
The Tokugawa army was like wheat that was cut away, falling to pieces in one fell swoop.
The front legs of one of the bannermen's mounts were broken and he fell to the ground in a moment. He quickly abandoned his horse and stood up with his gun in hand.
"Raise the shield! Charge! Kill!"
It was useless, another thunderous gunshot sounded, and the banner leaned back, and then fell next to the whining war horse.
The wind picked up and the fog gradually dissipated. At this time, more than a thousand retreating Tokugawa troops were completely surrounded by the Northern Navy and the Aoba Battalion. On the Oshu Road, white smoke from shootings rose from time to time. This place was usually crowded with people.
, a lively place where cattle and horses drink water, has become a slaughterhouse.
Unwilling to be reconciled, Hatamoto and the Imperial Family teamed up and tried to break through the siege again and again, but the Northern Navy and the Aoba Battalion knocked them to the ground with airtight bullets.
"Weapon を 色 て ろ!"
"両手で头を hug える!"
Finally, someone shouted in the Japanese language and ordered the Tokugawa troops to put down their weapons and put their heads in their hands.
The frightened Tokugawa troops were so frightened that they were kneeling in the mud and crying. This showed no trace of the bravery of the Mikawa samurai back then.
Seeing this scene in front of him, Chai Zhong spat at the Tokugawa prisoners and cursed in the island dialect: "A bunch of trash!"
In the afternoon of the same day, as several deserters returned, Makino Sadada was shocked to learn that the vanguard had been defeated. He ordered the troops to immediately turn around and return south to Fukushima Castle.
Before even seeing the shadow of Shiroishi Castle, 1,500 people were gone. Makino Sadaga, who was in charge of the feint attack force, finally understood that the Aoba Battalion's offensive with only a few hundred people was so fierce, and he began
He became deeply worried about the Tokugawa navy heading north.