The Kyōbō ryū-gumi (凶暴竜組, "Ferocious Dragon Brigade") was an elite samurai unit of Matsue Domain that served during the late Hosokawa Shogunate and early Nōmin War. They proved incredibly effective at repelling forces of the Shogunate, Republic of Kyushu and other rival daimyō. Founded in 1857 by Konishi Kiyotada under command from Matsudaira Sadayasu, the daimyō of Matsue, the Kyōbō ryū-gumi numbered 418 at its height. The group combined modern firearm drills with traditional samurai hand-to-hand combat and guerilla tactics which was especially effective within the mountainous regions of Chūgoku. The unit was to be disbanded after the capture of Matsue Castle by Republican forces and subsequent surrender of the domain.
However, the remaining 173 members fled east, continuing to fight the encroaching Republican army. Led by Kiyotada, the group offered their services to the neighbouring Tsuyama Domain, then ruled by Sadayasu's brother-in-law, but they were turned away. Eventually, the group was encircled upon Mount Nagi where, after a desperate struggle, only 32 members were left standing. These final members committed mass seppuku on October 23, 1875.
History
The declining authority of the Hosokawa Shogunate had lead to a period of provincial autonomy not seen in Japan since the Sengoku Period some 250 years earlier. As a result of this, local daimyō were able to establish private forces, often by requesting enlargements to their hatamotos ("Guardians of the Banner") to circumvent the illegality of personal armies. This would eventually come to a head in the east with the Kuwana-Yatomi Incident in 1863. Three powerful daimyō from the Kanto region: Fujita Sadahisa, Imagawa Ujiaki and Yamakawa Harutoshi had expanded their hatamotos to sizes in excess of three-thousand. The incumbent shōgun, Hosokawa Toshimoto sent numerous requests for the reduction of the hatamotos, to no avail. Finally, Toshimoto sent his army under command of Sakai Harutoki with a letter demanding the disbandment of the hatamotos. Banding together, the daimyō in question (known as the "Three Tigers") blocked access to Owari Province in a two week stand-off in late 1863. Eventually, after failed negotiations Toshimoto conceded to the refusal of the rebels and the shogunate army returned to Kyoto in disgrace.
This had a dramatic effect upon the rest of Japan, with many independent daimyō enlarging their own hatamotos and private forces. One of the many daimyō to do so was Matsudaira Sadayasu. Having supported the Urakami Clan during their eastward push across Kanto, the Matsudaira were recognised as one of the Uchigawa kyō or "Inner Lords" (内側卿). These were those who were considered loyal to the Urakami but had not contributed enough to be considered as an Erai Kamon or "Great Clan" (偉い家門). They were granted Izumo Province as a fief, as their previous homeland of Mikawa had been granted to the Yamakawa Clan. Nonetheless, Izumo Province, renamed Matsue Domain after the introdction of the Han System in 1580, was a profitable and well-positioned region.
By the time of Sadayasu's father, Naritaka, the Matsudaira Clan had multiple branches. Naritaka in 1817 adopted his half-brother, Ienari's, son Ginnosuke and granted him the name Naritami. Eventually, Naritaka would have his own son, Sadayasu and this would cause issues for the clan. As Naritami was from a side-branch of the family, crucially one that had come to rule Tsuyama Domain, the samurai of Matsue preferred for Sadayasu to become daimyō. Naritaka relented, naming Sadayasu as his successor. Tsuyama was itself going through a succession crisis as two of Ienari's sons: Nariyuki and Nariyoshi feuded over lordship of the Domain. In 1838, a 24 year old Naritami stepped in and, with support from Naritaka claimed Tsuyama Domain, defeating his two brothers and taking them as prisoners. It seemed as if the issue of inheritance had been sorted. However, Naritaka's death in 1851 complicated issues.
With Sadayasu being just under the age of consent to rule, Naritami argued that he was to serve as regent. Naritami entered Matsue in early 1852, despite the fact that Sadayasu was now of age. He easily defeated his younger brother-in-law near Okuizumo with assistance from his ally Kuroda Tomokatsu and marched on Matsue. Allowing Sadayasu to remain as daimyō, Naritami insisted that all decisions should be made whilst consulting him as an elder. Sadayasu consented but secretly began gathering followers who felt that Naritami had usurped the order of succession. Eventually, in 1856, Sadayasu lead a small group of loyalist samurai to Matsue Castle and seized the Tenshu, hoping to find Naritami. However, Naritami was in a nearby brothel at the time and upon being alerted to the coup, fled back to Tsuyama to gatehr his strength. Meanwhile, Sadayasu did the same in Matsue.
Those who had supported Sadayasu were lead by Konishi Kiyotada, a sword-master of the Dairyu Tsuki-tō-ryū school. Knowing that Naritami would return to Matsue within the year, Kiyotada advised Sadayasu to modernise Matsue Domain's forces, purchasing 2,000 Enfield Rifles and an Armstrong Howitzer. Kiyotada also hired Lionel de Bovier de Fontanelle, a veteran of the Franco-Italian War to train the troops. When Naritami returned in 1856, whilst he was successful in early skirmishes, upon confrontation with Sadayasu and Kiyotada's new army he was resoundly defeated. Key to victory was an advance force that harassed the Tsuyama samurai, giving Sadayasu time to take an advantageous position along the Hii River in Yokota. This force was composed of just two-hundred samurai and in early 1857 was officially remade into the Kyōbō ryū-gumi.
As centralised authority in Japan continued to decrease, Sadayasu began to exert his influence and power over other Chūgoku Domains. Yonago Domain to the east, controlled by the Akana Clan, became the first to endure his pressure, with the Kyōbō ryū-gumi leading the vanguard. They set up a base of operations at Zuikozan-Kiyomizudera Temple before launching raids into the surrounding countryside, especially focusing on munitions stations. Akana Michimitsu, the son of the incumbent daimyō Michiari, lead a force of roughly a thousand to try and seize the temple but were easily repulsed by the modern firearms and guerilla tactics. Sadayasu arrived near Yonago in July and immediately sent the Kyōbō ryū-gumi to seize Yonago Castle under cover of nightfall. This night attack was extremely successful, with no casualties on the side of Matsue Domain. Having captured this strategic position, Sadayasu moved his howitzer into a commanding position within the castle allowing him to bombard the main city.