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Enomoto Takeaki

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Viscount Enomoto Takeaki (1836-1908) was a notable Japanese warrior and naval officer during the Bakumatsu era. Despite the rise of the Meiji government, Enomoto fiercely supported the Tokugawa Bakufu and actively opposed the new regime throughout the Boshin War. Following the war, he played a crucial role in establishing the Imperial Japanese Navy and held prominent positions within the Meiji government. During the Meiji era Enomoto was a politician and a diplomat.[1]

As shown in the Hakuōki franchise, Enomoto Takeaki was a brave Vice Admiral of the Japanese Navy. Unlike other characters of the franchise, his appearance is the closest to his historical prototype.


bullet-list Contents
  1. Background
  2. Boshin War
  3. Death


Background

Enomoto Takeaki, born into a samurai family dedicated to the Tokugawa clan, grew up in the Shitaya district of Edo (now Taitō, Tokyo). After studying Confucianism from Tanabe Ishian[2], who lived in the neighborhood,[3] he entered Shoheizaka Gakumonjo in 1851 (Kaei 4). He graduated in 1853 (Kaei 6), but his grades at the time of completion were the lowest[4]. In the 1850s, he began studying Dutch and, following Japan's forced "opening" by Commodore Matthew Perry in 1854, enrolled in the Naval Training Center in Nagasaki and later the Tsukiji Warship Training Center in Edo, both under the Tokugawa Bakufu.

In 1858, he graduated from the Naval Training Institute and became a professor at the Tsukiji Warship Training Center in Edo[5]. Around this time, he learned English at John Manjiro's private school, and later met Ōtori Keisuke, who fought alongside him in the Battle of Hakodate.

At the age of 26, Enomoto was dispatched to the Netherlands to acquire knowledge in Western naval warfare and obtain advanced technologies. His stay in Europe spanned from 1862 to 1867, during which he achieved fluency in both Dutch and English languages.[6]

Returning to Japan aboard the Kaiyō Maru, a steam warship purchased from the Netherlands by the Bakufu (and of which Enomoto became the Captain[7]), Enomoto recognized the significance of telegraphy as a future mode of communication. He began formulating plans for a telegraph system connecting Edo and Yokohama. Upon his homecoming, Enomoto's rank within the Tokugawa Navy rose to Kaigun Fukusōsai (海軍副総裁) — Vice Admiral, the second highest position, at the age of 31. He also received the honorary title of Izumi-no-kami (和泉守) from the imperial court.

Boshin War

At the end of 1867, he led the Bakufu fleet to Osaka Bay and participated in the war council in Kyoto.[8] On January 2, 1868 (Keio 4), he attacked Heiunmaru of the Satsuma Domain, which was heading for Kagoshima from Osaka Bay. In response to the Satsuma Domain's protest, Enomoto insisted that since the Satsuma Domain's residence was burned down, the Satsuma Domain was in a state of war, and that there was no problem with the blockade of the port. Furthermore, on January 4, he pursued the Kasuga Maru and others of the Satsuma Domain, which set sail from Hyogo Port, and won the Battle of Awa.[9]

In response to the defeat of the former Bakufu army in the Battle of Toba-Fushimi, Enomoto entered Osaka Castle on January 7 after contacting the Bakufu army with Keizo Yatabori, who was also the commander of warships of the Edo Bakufu and the chief naval officer of the Bakufu navy.[10][11] However, Tokugawa Yoshinobu had already escaped from Osaka Castle on the night of the 6th, and on the morning of the 7th, he boarded the Kaiyo Maru, while Enomoto was absent, and withdrew to Edo on the night of the 8th.[12]

Enomoto carried out firearms and swords left behind in Osaka Castle, and loaded 180,000 ryo[13] that were in the castle with Yugoro Ono, who was in charge of accounting, on Jundo Maru and Shokaku Maru. On the 12th, he boarded the Mt.Fuji Maru with wounded soldiers, departed from Osaka Bay, and arrived in Edo on the 15th. On January 23, he was appointed Vice President of the Bakufu Navy[14]. Enomoto insisted on a thoroughgoing resistance, but Yoshinobu's allegiance was not taken up, and Yatabori, the naval chief of the Bakufu navy, followed Yoshinobu's wishes and Kaishu Katsu, the chief of the Bakufu's army, followed the intent of an immediate truce and the bloodless surrender of Edo-jo Castle, and initiated a coup d'etat by Enomoto. The Enomoto faction took control of the former Bakufu fleet.[15]

In August, he secretly prepared to escape[16], and on August 15th, the Tokugawa family moved to Sunpu and was transferred.[17] Upon completion, on August 19, Enomoto, together with former retainers of the resistance faction, sailed from eight ships: Kaiyo Maru, Kaiten Maru, Banryu Maru, Chiyoda Maru, Shinsoku Maru, Migaho Maru, Kanrin Maru, and Chogei Maru. He led the former Bakufu fleet and escaped from Edo to support the The Ōuetsu Reppan Dōmei (奥羽越列藩同盟) which was the alliance of the domains of Mutsu, Dewa, and Echigo. In this fleet, a total of more than 2,000 people, including former young young man Takashi Nagai, army magistrate Taro Matsudaira, survivors of the Shogitai and the guerrilla corps, and members of the French military advisory group Jules Brunet and André Cazeneuve, was on board.[18] When escaping from Edo, Enomoto entrusted Kaishu Katsu with a letter of intent called 'request letter' and 'announcement of the great achievement of Tokugawa vassals'[19].

The fleet was hit by a storm off the coast of Boso and was scattered, losing two ships, the Kanrin Maru and the Migaho Maru. On September 2, Enomoto, Brunet, and Cazeneuve had an audience with Yoshikuni Date at Sendai Castle. From the next day onwards, he participated in the military council of the Sendai Domain, but by that time the Ouetsu Reppan Alliance had collapsed, and on September 12, the Sendai Domain also decided to surrender. Knowing this, Enomoto and Hijikata went up to the castle and met with Magosaburo Ojo and Bunshichiro Endo, who were consuls, and tried to get them to change their minds, but they failed to do so and began preparations for departure.[20] The former Bakufu fleet included the Taie Maru and the Hoo Maru, which the Bakufu had lent to the Sendai domain, along with Kuwana domain lords Matsudaira Sadataka, Ōtori Keisuke, Hijikata Toshizō, and former Bakufu retainers Denshutai, Shohotai, and the Sendai domain. A total of about 3,000 people were accommodated, including those who had left the domain. After the new government army entered Sendai Castle, they moved from Sendai to Ishinomaki on October 9. At this time, Enomoto submitted a petition addressed to the governor-general of the new government army, Hirakataguchi Takaaki Shijo, stating that he would reclaim Ezochi (蝦夷地) (the place where the Ezo people (now Ainu) lived in the Edo period of Japan) in order to save former retainers of the Bakufu and prepare for Russian aggression.[21] Enomoto and Hijikata stayed at the home of Rihei Mouriya, a wealthy merchant in Ishinomaki, but Hijikata, who was indignant at the attitude of the Sendai Domain, is said to have scratched a pillar with a sword. The house was later demolished, but the pillars have been preserved.[22] The Sendai Domain was concerned about fighting in its territory, and tried to hand over supplies to the former Bakufu army and ask them to leave. On October 12, the ship loaded the provided supplies and set sail.[23] On the way, the Bakufu lent it to the Sendai domain, but it was stolen by rogues and was engaged in piracy. The Senshu Maru was captured at Kesennuma, replenished at Miyako Bay, and headed for Ezochi.[24]

On October 20th, the former Bakufu forces arrived in Ezochi and landed at Washinoki (present-day Morimachi) facing Uchiura Bay, north of Hakodate.[25] Splitting into two groups, they advanced to Hakodate, defeated the new government forces in various places, and occupied Goryokaku on October 26, and Enomoto entered Goryokaku on November 1. On December 15, he proclaimed the consolidation of Republic of Ezo and was elected president by officers and above.[26]

On December 18, the United States, which had declared neutrality, announced its support for the new government. The ironclad Kotetsu, which had been purchased by the Bakufu but had not been delivered due to the outbreak of the Boshin War, was handed over to the new government in January 1869.[27] In order to overcome the situation, the former Bakufu forces carried out a surprise attack on the Kotetsu anchored in Miyako Bay in the early morning of March 25 and seized it by aboldage, but it ended in failure (the Battle of Miyako Bay).

On May 11, the new government forces took over the city of Hakodate with a full-scale attack, and then sent a messenger advising surrender to the former shogunate forces in Goryokaku through the mediation of Ryoun Takamatsu, director of Hakodate Hospital.[28] Enomoto and others refused.

When Benten Daiba surrendered on May 15th and Chiyogatai Jinya fell on May 16th, Enomoto took responsibility and attempted to commit suicide on the night of the same day, but was stopped by his apprentice, Honojo Otsuka. On the 17th, Enomoto and other senior officers of the former Shogunate army met with Kiyotaka Kuroda and others at a private house near Kameda Hachimangu Shrine to negotiate a surrender agreement.[29]

The forces of the Meiji government engaged in a decisive confrontation with Enomoto's troops during the Naval Battle of Hakodate in May 1869. Ultimately, following the culmination of the Battle of Hakodate on June 27, 1869, the Republic of Ezo crumbled, and Hokkaido came under the governance of the central government, led by the Meiji Emperor.

Death

On October 19, 1905 (Meiji 38), he retired as Vice Admiral of the Navy.[30] He became ill from July 1908 (Meiji 41), and died of kidney disease on October 26. He was 72 years old. His naval funeral was held on the 30th of the same month.[31] His grave is in Kichijoji, Bunkyo Ward, Tokyo.

References

  1. ↑ 日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ) 百科事典マイペディア「榎本武揚」
  2. ↑ 本名・村瀬誨輔。幕臣、儒者。外交官・田辺太一の父。
  3. ↑ 加茂儀一『榎本武揚』中央公論社〈中公文庫〉、1988年（原著1960年）。ISBN 4-12-201509-X。
  4. ↑ 甲」「乙」は名前が公表されるが、榎本の名前が無かったことから、「丙」とみられている
  5. ↑ 加茂儀一『榎本武揚』中央公論社〈中公文庫〉、1988年（原著1960年）。ISBN 4-12-201509-X 。
  6. ↑ Akita, George. (1967) Foundations of constitutional government in modern Japan, 1868–1900. Cambridge, Harvard University Press, ISBN 978-0-8248-2560-7.
  7. ↑ 合田一道『古文書にみる榎本武揚』藤原書店、2014年。ISBN 978-4-89434-9896。
  8. ↑ 加茂儀一『榎本武揚』中央公論社〈中公文庫〉、1988年（原著1960年）。ISBN 4-12-201509-X。
  9. ↑ 保谷徹 編『戊辰戦争』吉川弘文社〈戦争の日本史 18〉、2007年、75-76頁。ISBN 978-4-642-06328-9
  10. ↑ 石井勉『徳川艦隊北走記』學藝書林、1977年、17頁。
  11. ↑ 榎本は大坂城への登城途中に、負傷兵を保護していたプロイセン公使マックス・フォン・ブラントから、負傷兵の面倒を見ることを要請されている
  12. ↑ 菊池明・伊東成郎 編『戊辰戦争全史』 上、新人物往来社、1998年、42頁。ISBN 4-404-02572-6
  13. ↑ うち3万両は榎本に下賜され、オランダに残った留学生（伊東玄伯、林研海、赤松則良）の滞在費に充てられた
  14. ↑ 成島司直等 編『続徳川実紀 第5篇』経済雑誌社、1907年、1294頁。NDLJP:1917904
  15. ↑ 井黒弥太郎『榎本武揚伝』ゆまに書房、1968年。NDLJP:3448921。
  16. ↑ 加茂儀一『榎本武揚』中央公論社〈中公文庫〉、1988年（原著1960年）。ISBN 4-12-201509-X。
  17. ↑ “函館市史通説編第2巻”. 函館市中央図書館. pp. 227-229. 2015年8月14日閲覧。
  18. ↑ “函館市史通説編第2巻”. 函館市中央図書館. pp. 229-231. 2015年8月14日閲覧。
  19. ↑ 加茂儀一『榎本武揚』中央公論社〈中公文庫〉、1988年（原著1960年）。ISBN 4-12-201509-X。
  20. ↑ 藤田相之助『仙台戊辰史』荒井活版製造所、1911年、742頁。NDLJP:773429
  21. ↑ 武内収太『箱館戦争』五稜郭タワー、1983年、68頁。
  22. ↑ 土方歳三資料館. “石巻にて榎本武揚・土方歳三が滞在した毛利屋理兵衛宅✨ 現在建物は残っていませんが、刀疵の遺る柱を特別に見せていただきました 歳三さんが仙台藩の沸切らない態度に憤慨してつけた刀疵と伝わる為、建物解体の折にも大切に保存しておいたそうです✨”. Twitter. 2022年6月14日閲覧
  23. ↑ 『石巻法人会広報誌 いしのまき』石巻法人会、2019年、6頁。
  24. ↑ 石井勉『徳川艦隊北走記』學藝書林、1977年、17頁。
  25. ↑ “函館市史通説編第2巻”. 函館市中央図書館. pp. 233-236. 2015年7月25日閲覧。
  26. ↑ “函館市史通説編第2巻”. 函館市中央図書館. pp. 241-243. 2015年7月25日閲覧.
  27. ↑ 菊池明・伊東成郎 編『戊辰戦争全史』 下、新人物往来社、1998年、237-239頁。ISBN 4-404-02573-4。
  28. ↑ “函館市史通説編第2巻”. 函館市中央図書館. pp. 250-251. 2015年7月25日閲覧。
  29. ↑ “函館市史通説編第2巻”. 函館市中央図書館. pp. 304-305. 2015年7月25日閲覧。
  30. ↑ 『官報』第6694号、「彙報」 1905年10月20日。NDLJP:2950027
  31. ↑ 『明治ニュース事典』 8巻、毎日コミュニケーションズ、1983年、54頁。ISBN 4-89563-105-2
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