Saku is just a very small city located in a valley surrounded by mountains on three sides.
In the past, no one cared about this kind of place, but now it has become a strategic location.
Only by guarding this place could the Tokugawa Shogunate ensure the safety of the Edo Plain.
Once the daimyō conquered here, they could step into the plains and march to Edo Castle.
Everyone knows that if we really go to Edo Castle, the civil war in Japan will be decided.
Mitsuhiro Maori has already been fanatical.
Mouri Hidemoto died of illness last year. He officially took over as the lord of the Choshu Domain and needed a chance to show off his talents and prove himself.
If the Tokugawa Shogunate was destroyed by his own hands, it would definitely be the pinnacle of his life.
However, the long and narrow terrain of Saku Valley still calmed him down somewhat.
His march was not very fast, and he sent a large number of troops to seize the mountains on both sides to prevent being ambushed.
Not only that, even in the Nagano and Nakano areas on the rear route, sufficient troops were deployed to prevent the shogunate army from outflanking them.
What concerned the daimyō the most was whether the shogunate's troops went to Sendai to quell the rebellion.
And such information can only be obtained in Edo.
It's a pity that Edo is currently under martial law and there is no communication between the inside and outside. The spies lurking in the city are unable to convey the news at all.
"General, we conducted strict reconnaissance and found no trace of the shogunate army. Attack and capture Saku. Victory will definitely belong to us."
Kato Tadahiro urged.
There is news from the domain that grain production has plummeted this year and cannot even meet the consumption of officials. It is definitely impossible to support the front line.
If the war cannot be ended in a short period of time, just a lack of food will be enough to bring down the Daimyo army.
Maori Mitsuhiro frowned and hesitated.
Fighting all the way, although they occupied many places, without exception, they did not get a grain of food.
It's not that the shogunate army carried out the task of clearing the country, but that there is indeed no food in these places.
Many men from the villages had been conscripted into the army and never came back, apparently becoming cannon fodder on the battlefield.
Not only are the remaining women, old people and children unable to farm, their survival has become a problem.
To what extent are the people of Japan now?
Even if a woman wants to sell herself, she cannot find a buyer.
Because everyone is impoverished and on the verge of starvation.
Kato Tadahiro, a lunatic, even ordered the army to massacre three villages during the march, turning all the people in the villages into dry food.
Under extreme difficulties, the Japanese completely showed their beast side.
"Wait another three days for news from the horses."
The long and narrow Saku Valley cannot allow all the troops to travel together. At the same time, in order to form a pincer attack, another daimyo army attacked Gunma from the east under the command of Shimazu Mitsuhisa.
Once the horses are captured, they can attack in two directions, making it even more difficult for the shogunate's army to defend.
Three days passed quickly, and news came from Gunma.
Shimazu Mitsuhisa successfully captured Gunma.
In front of him, only Mount Akagi remained.
This is the last commanding height into the Edo Plains. Once you get here, Maebashi is not far away.
After receiving the news, Maori Mitsuhiro's confidence increased and he immediately ordered a fierce attack on Saku.
Ogasawara Saburo, who was guarding Saku, faithfully fulfilled Doi Toshiki's order without any thought of retreat or escape.
Fighting to death was his only option.
Ogasawara Saburo is one of Tokugawa Iemitsu's nicknames, and he could not be more loyal to Tokugawa Iemitsu.
For the sake of the foundation of the Tokugawa Shogunate, he didn't care even if he went to hell, not to mention death.
Under his cold orders, everyone in Saku City was sent to the city walls, and every grain of food was monitored.
He therefore had in his hands five thousand troops and four thousand civilians.
These four thousand civilians, regardless of age or sex, must all take up arms to fight.
Saburo Ogasawara's team of supervising troops is standing behind them. Anyone who escapes or is timid will be killed immediately.
The desperate people had to turn into wild beasts and clumsily and awkwardly pressed against the city wall.
They are the most miserable group of people.
Not to mention being on the front line of the most dangerous situation, we still don’t have much to eat.
Most of the food under supervision was distributed to the army, leaving them with only scraps, and only one meal a day.
"General, if this continues, will these untouchables rebel?"
The lieutenant was a little worried.
Ogasawara Saburo's expression did not loosen at all.
"Do they have the strength to rebel? Will they survive after the daimyo's army enters the city?"
Although these words are sarcastic, they are extremely true.
The first thing the Daimyo army did after entering the city, which was also extremely poor, must have been looting and killing.
Death is everywhere, and there is no way for the people of Saku to escape from hell.
Wave after wave of daimyo troops rushed toward the city wall. How many ladders were erected and how many were pushed down by the defenders.
Mitsuhiro Mouri concentrated his muskets, pushed them to the bottom of the city regardless of casualties, and suppressed the attacks from above.
Ordinary people did not know how to protect themselves from such firepower, and they soon suffered heavy casualties, leaving gaps in the defense.
So the troops who had gathered their strength came up to take over, and once again they fought hard with the daimyo army.
But the daimyo army had an even greater advantage.
That's artillery.
The bronze cannons purchased from the empire were transported up, and they immediately began bombarding them indiscriminately, regardless of whether there were any of their own people above and below the city wall.
A small town like Saku could hardly defend itself against artillery bombardment.
It only took a day and a half for a gap of about ten feet to be blown out of the northern city wall.
The morale of the daimyo's army was so high that they followed the gap and fought towards the city.
Just when they were about to rush into the city, thunder roared out of the gap and dust and smoke rose into the sky.
It turned out that Saburo Ogasawara planted nearly a thousand kilograms of explosives here, sweeping away all the living creatures in the vicinity on the spot.
Taking advantage of the opportunity when the daimyo's army was bombed to pieces, Saburo Ogasawara personally launched a counterattack with his troops.
This battle was extremely bloody.
In the end, the Daimyo army captured Saku after paying a price of 8,300 casualties.
Saburo Ogasawara was cut into pieces, and he fulfilled his loyalty to Tokugawa Iemitsu well and completed his mission.
His desperate resistance deceived Maori Mitsuhiro and others very well.
The Daimyo coalition agreed that the main force of the shogunate army must have gone to Sendai to quell the rebellion.
Otherwise, why would Saburo Ogasawara fight to the death?
"Order all the troops not to stop and rush to the front bridge at full speed."
Mitsuhiro Mouri issued the order to enter hell, which also kicked off the final battle in Japan.
At the same time, on the dock of Edo, a few sneaky people boarded a ship and began to sail to the open sea under the cover of night.
Before they had gone far, they were stopped by a patrol ship from the shogunate.
"Baga, how dare you, the people of our empire, to stop us?"
The people on the boat were so energetic that they didn't realize it.
There was no way, the empire's power gave the merchants the most confidence.
Facing the aggressive imperial merchants, the Japanese hesitated.
Thanks to Weiai Qinger and book friend 101230102909080 for the reward!
(End of chapter)
