Battle of Nagashino (2/2)Looking back on the Battle of Nagashino, where Katsuyori Takeda suffered a crushing defeat

Furthermore, Nobunaga also launched a surprise attack. Late at night on May 20th, a detachment of approximately 4,000 men led by Tadatsugu Sakai secretly set out to attack the Takeda army surrounding Nagashino Castle, bypassing the main body of the Takeda army. The surprise attack on Tobigasuyama Fort, which was the key point of the siege, was a huge success. As a result, many famous commanders on the Takeda side, including Katsuyori's uncle Nobuzane Kawakubo, died. Katsuyori's escape route is cut off.

The decisive battle at Shitarahara - Was there no "three-stage gunfire"? ~

On May 21st, the Takeda army battles the Oda and Tokugawa forces at Shitarahara. The fierce battle, which started in the early morning and lasted for about eight hours, ended in victory for the Oda and Tokugawa forces, and it is said that the Takeda forces, including those at Tobigasuyama Fort, suffered over 10,000 casualties. In particular, the deaths of famous military commanders such as Yamagata Masakage, Baba Nobuharu, Naito Masahide, Tsuchiya Masatsugu, and the Sanada Nobutsuna and Masateru brothers were a great blow to the Takeda clan. Among them, Nobuharu Baba served as the lord during Katsuyori's retreat, and it is said that he was killed in a spectacular battle while watching over Katsuyori's retreat. Despite suffering severe damage, Katsuyori managed to escape. They retreated to Takato Castle.

The image of the Battle of Shitarahara is of Nobunaga's gun corps defeating the Takeda family's cavalry, said to be the strongest in the Sengoku period. The horses were stopped by a horse fence, 3,000 matchlock guns were put in, the soldiers were divided into three groups, and each group was responsible for the three actions of loading, setting up, and shooting, and firing in rapid succession in a ``three-stage shot''. The explanation in old textbooks is that the Takeda army was annihilated, and it is also mentioned in novels and movies.

However, recent research suggests that there was no three-stage firing of guns, and that 3,000 matchlock guns were not introduced. In the first place, there are not many primary sources regarding the Battle of Nagashino, and the truth is that the exact details are not well understood. One of the documents written about the Battle of Nagashino is "Nobunaga Koki" by Gyuichi Ota, a vassal of Nobunaga.Although it is written that they ambushed the Takeda army and fired matchlock guns alternately, it does not mention the triple firing. There is no description. The gun corps also numbered about 1,000 people. Also, during excavations at Shitarahara, almost no gun bullets were found.

According to researchers, the Battle of Nagashino took place during a rainy season, with heavy rain falling in Mikawa on May 20th. Shitarahara on the 21st was muddy and muddy. It is speculated that the soldiers also fought in mud. If you rely on matchlock guns that require ignition, you will lose. In the first place, they had been fighting for eight hours, so matchlock bullets would run out in no time. The gun corps may have played an active role, but it seems that it was not a major factor in determining the outcome of the battle.

Why was the Takeda army defeated?

Recent research has revealed that the cause of the defeat of the Takeda army is

1. Because Katsuyori was the heir to the Suwa clan, he was unable to gather all his veteran vassals.
2. Unable to return to Nagashino Castle due to a surprise attack by the Oda and Tokugawa forces, he was forced to attack Shitarahara.
3. The Oda and Tokugawa forces were making careful preparations for battle, including installing earthworks and horse fences at Shitarahara.

Things are mentioned. What I personally want to pay attention to is the third step, the advance preparation at Shitarahara. I believe that careful preparation, taking into account the characteristics of the Takeda family, made the difference between winning and losing the battle. Furthermore, one of the reasons for the defeat may have been that the mobility of the horses was reduced by the mud and mud, and the strength of the Takeda cavalry was halved.

By the way, there is a theory that Takeda's cavalry did not actually exist, and even if it did, it was not that large-scale. As research progresses, new theories may emerge.

From the Battle of Nagashino to the fall of the Takeda family

Katsuyori suffered a crushing defeat at the Battle of Nagashino and lost his main military commander. The Takeda clan tried to reorganize itself, but the Oda and Tokugawa forces seized the opportunity to attack Higashi Mino and Totomi, taking back castles one after another from Katsuyori. In 1577, Katsuyori took Hojo Ujimasa's younger sister as his rear wife and tried to strengthen the Kosou alliance with the Hojo family, but in the following year, the sudden death of Uesugi Kenshin caused a family succession dispute called ``Otate no Ujimasa''. He failed in his strategy when intervening in the "Ran". Relations with the Hojo family deteriorated and the alliance collapsed. The Hojo family teamed up with Nobunaga and Ieyasu and became enemies with the Takeda family.

Katsuyori continued to fight the Oda, Tokugawa, and Hojo forces, and for a time gained the upper hand. However, in 1581, Takatenjin Castle fell to the Tokugawa army, and powerful military commanders such as Anayama Baisetsu defected to the enemy side, gradually weakening its power. In 1582, the Oda, Tokugawa, and Hojo armies began to attack the Takeda family in earnest, and their trusted vassals were betrayed one after another. Then, on March 11, Katsuyori committed suicide after being defeated by the Oda army at the Battle of Tenmeyama in Kai. The Takeda clan was destroyed.

After the Battle of Nagashino, Katsuyori made a comeback, but was ultimately defeated by the Oda, Tokugawa, and Hojo forces. If they had given up on Nagashino Castle and retreated, a different path might have been possible.