Chapter 2 of 100

Chapter 2

9 min read2,162 words

### 1. Basic Composition of the Military Formation

During the Japanese Warring States period, the daimyo's military formation consisted of the main camp (本陣) and several independent corps.

The members of the main camp included the supreme commander (総大将), deputy commander (副将), military strategist (軍師), scribe (右筆), military administrator (軍奉行), military inspector (軍目付), messenger (使番), and lookout (物見番頭). Additionally, it included support personnel such as horse handlers (馬廻), attendants (小姓), pharmacists (薬師), and prayer monks (祈祷僧).

The independent corps generally included the samurai commander (侍大将), spear commander (槍大将), musket commander (鉄砲大将), foot soldier commander (足軽大将), and archer commander (弓大将), along with their respective subordinates (兵吏, 兵丁). Within the independent corps, messengers (使番) were responsible for communication between the various combat units.

### 2. The Main Camp

1. **Supreme Commander (総大将)**: The supreme commander, stationed in the main camp, is the highest-ranking military leader, similar to a modern-day commander-in-chief. When the daimyo himself takes the field, he automatically becomes the supreme commander. If the daimyo is too old, young, or ill to take the field, a senior vassal from the clan will take his place. In the early Warring States period, battles were generally small, with only a few hundred to a few thousand participants. In such smaller-scale engagements, the supreme commander could manage the army effectively. However, after centuries of conflict and consolidation, powerful families emerged that controlled entire regions or multiple regions. As the scale of wars increased, large-scale battles involving tens of thousands of soldiers became more frequent, and even in the later Warring States period, armies of 200,000 to 300,000 were not uncommon. This led to the formation of a highly efficient and clearly defined command structure, which directly resulted in the expansion of the main camp.

2. **Deputy Commander (副将)**: The deputy commander, usually a close relative of the supreme commander, assists the main commander, similar to a modern-day deputy commander. This role is self-explanatory.

3. **Military Strategist (軍師)**: The military strategist, a familiar figure, is responsible for planning and strategy. They hold a military fan, observe celestial phenomena, and predict outcomes, much like the historical figures Zhuge Liang and Liu Bowen. Famous military strategists in Japanese history include Ota Dokan, Snow斋, Yamamoto Kansuke, Yamazaki Suke, Rikka Dozetsu, Kuroda Kanbee, Nabeshima Naoshige, Ankokuji Ekei, Katakura Kojuro, Shimazaki Suke, Naito Masahiro, and Sanada Yukimura, among others.

4. **Scribe (右筆)**: The scribe, also known as the secretary, is a crucial administrative role in the main camp. Similar to a secretary or clerk in ancient China, they are responsible for taking meeting minutes, drafting various documents (including merit certificates and commendations), and managing the supreme commander's seal.

5. **Military Administrator (軍奉行)**: The military administrator is responsible for mobilizing and commanding troops according to the supreme commander's orders, similar to a modern-day chief of staff. The flag administrator (旗奉行), archer administrator (弓奉行), spear administrator (槍奉行), supply administrator (兵糧奉行), and baggage administrator (小荷駄奉行) all report to and are responsible to the military administrator, similar to department heads in modern organizations. I will focus on the role of the military administrator.

The Warring States period saw the rapid development of specialized roles. According to historical records, there were various administrators such as the construction administrator (普請奉行), temple and shrine administrator (寺社奉行), land survey administrator (検地奉行), maritime administrator (船奉行), and diplomatic administrator (公方奉行), each responsible for different areas such as construction, religion, land, maritime transport, and diplomacy. Due to the nature of war, a specialized military administrator was also established to manage military campaigns. Since the success or failure of military campaigns directly affected the rise and fall of a clan, the military administrator was the highest-ranking administrator. According to the "Buke Myomoku Shō" (武家名目抄), a document compiled during the mid-Edo period, the military administrator is described as "responsible for all military affairs and bearing the heavy responsibility of the state." Historical figures such as Minamoto no Tametomo in "Heiji Monogatari," Taira no Tomomori in "Heike Monogatari," and Minamoto no Yoshitsune in "Heike Monogatari" were military administrators, although the role was not a permanent position at that time and was known as "Shōgun no Bugyō" (尚軍奉行). However, their duties were similar to those of the military administrators in the Warring States period. Notably, the "Asakura Masahiro Jō" (朝倉孝景条), a set of rules established by the Asakura clan, provided specific guidelines for the role of the military administrator. According to these guidelines, the military administrator was selected from capable samurai commanders and, during battles, held the military fan and assisted the supreme commander in commanding the entire army.

A similar role to the military administrator is the "bushi bugyō" (武者奉行), which appears in the records of the Hōjō and Takeda clans and is also mentioned in the "Buke Myomoku Shō." According to historical records, if a clan had a military administrator, there were no records of a "bushi bugyō," and vice versa. This suggests that the "bushi bugyō" was simply another name for the military administrator.

6. **Subordinates of the Military Administrator**: The subordinates of the military administrator, such as the archer administrator, spear administrator, and other combat unit leaders, are self-explanatory. However, I will elaborate on the roles of the supply administrator (兵糧奉行) and baggage administrator (小荷駄奉行). As the scale and duration of wars increased, the transportation and storage of supplies such as food, arrows, ammunition, and equipment became increasingly important, even to the point of determining the outcome of battles. Consequently, specialized roles were established to ensure the efficient supply of these resources. The primary responsibility of the baggage administrator was the transportation of supplies. The task was not easy, as conscripted farmers often fled, and failure to deliver supplies to the front lines could result in execution. The supply administrator was responsible for procuring, storing, and managing food supplies, a role of great importance. Some clans also had a logistics administrator (兵站奉行), such as the Takeda and Hōjō clans. The most famous logistics administrator was Chōbō Masaharu, who served under Toyotomi Hideyoshi.

7. **Military Inspector (軍目付)**: The military inspector, acting as the eyes of the supreme commander, is the "supervisor of the military formation." They are responsible for monitoring the actions of all soldiers and enforcing military discipline, similar to modern-day military police. In the蒲生氏 (Takigawa clan), the military inspector was known as "ōyokome" (大横目), a vivid and apt term. The military inspector was known for their stern and vigilant demeanor.

In addition to enforcing discipline, the military inspector also recorded the achievements of soldiers on the battlefield, such as the taking of enemy heads or other acts of valor. These records were reported to the supreme commander and the military strategist. After the battle, soldiers would report their achievements, which would be verified against the records of the military inspector. If the claims were confirmed, the soldiers would be rewarded.

8. **Messenger (使番)**: The messenger is responsible for conveying orders to subordinate units, allied forces, and enemy forces. Smooth, timely, and accurate communication is crucial for coordinating the actions of different units and enhancing overall combat effectiveness. Additionally, successful persuasion of enemy forces to defect can achieve the goal of winning without fighting, which is a strategic advantage. Therefore, messengers also have the important task of conducting persuasion efforts.

In movies, a common scene is a messenger being captured by enemy forces and having important documents seized. To prevent this, important and confidential matters were often communicated orally to the messenger, who would then relay the message in person upon reaching the destination. This was a common practice, and given the loyalty of samurai to their lords, it was unlikely that captured messengers would reveal any information. Therefore, the scenarios depicted in movies were not common in reality. Messengers also had distinctive markers, such as the three small flags on the back of Takeda messengers and the "five-character" flag on the back of Tokugawa messengers, which were well-known.

9. **Lookout (物見番頭)**: The lookout, a vivid term in Japanese, is the leader of the reconnaissance unit responsible for observing enemy movements, terrain, and battle conditions, and providing timely intelligence to the main camp's command staff.

10. **Horse Handlers (馬廻)**: The horse handlers are the security force of the main camp, responsible for the safety of the command structure, similar to a modern-day security detail. According to the "Jinritsu-sho" (陣立書), which records the composition of daimyo armies, the horse handlers were primarily composed of the supreme commander's direct vassals, the most loyal and trusted troops. The most famous horse handlers were the "red banner" (赤母衣) and "black banner" (黒母衣) units of Oda Nobunaga. Toyotomi Hideyoshi later formed his own security force, the "yellow banner" (黄母衣) unit, modeled after Nobunaga's. In the Tokugawa army, the horse handlers were known as "旗本" (hatamoto), led by renowned generals such as Kuroda Nagamasa, Honda Tadakatsu, and Torii Mototada. The "旗本先手役" (hatamoto sentai) were the elite units of the Tokugawa army, often serving as shock troops in battles.

11. **Other Support Personnel**: The main camp also included support personnel such as sword bearers (太刀持小姓), horse standard bearers (大馬印持, 小馬印持), main camp flag bearers (本陣旗持, 旗差), drummers (太鼓), conch blowers (法螺貝), prayer monks (祈祷僧), and pharmacists (薬師), who were responsible for carrying weapons and flags, directing combat, praying for victory, and providing medical care.

### 3. Independent Corps

1. **Samurai Commanders (侍大将) and Their Corps**

The samurai commander is the leader of an independent unit, originally a temporary role assigned to trusted vassals before battles. As the state of war became more prolonged, this temporary role evolved into a permanent position. The samurai commander leads an independent unit with a unified flag and even uniform armor colors. For example, the "五色備" (five-color armor) of the Hōjō clan in the Kanto region had red, white, blue, yellow, and black armor, divided into five units that could operate independently or in coordination. The psychological impact of a large group of red or black-armored soldiers charging into battle was significant. One of Tokugawa Ieyasu's "Four Heavenly Kings," Ii Naomasa, was famous for his red-armored unit. Before the battle, the supreme commander would select the vanguard (先手) and rearguard (殿軍, 後詰) from the samurai commanders. Important vassals could also serve as flag leaders, leading other units in case of emergencies, such as a loss of communication with the main camp. Historical records show that during the Three Rivers period, Tokugawa Ieyasu's army had two flag leaders, one for the western and one for the eastern regions. The organizational structure of his vassals was as follows:

a. **Flag Leaders (旗本先手役)**:

- Kuroda Nagamasa

- Honda Tadakatsu

- Okubo Tadayoshi

- Torii Mototada

- Uemura Iesada

- Sukegahara Yasutaka

b. **Western Three Rivers Flag Leader (西三河旗頭)**:

- Ishikawa Tsunemasa (nephew of Ishikawa Masaharu, lord of Okazaki Castle)

c. **Matsudaira Clan**:

- Matsudaira Masahiro (lord of Ōgaki Castle)

- Matsudaira Masaharu (lord of Sasaki Castle)

- Matsudaira Masahide (lord of Fujii Castle)

- Matsudaira Masahiro (lord of Nomi Castle)

- Matsudaira Masahiro (lord of Kira Castle)

d. **Castle Holders (城持众)**:

- Sakai Masahiro (lord of Nishiura Castle)

e. **Direct Vassals (家康直臣)**:

- Naito Masahiro

- Hirai Masahiro

- Sakai Masahiro

- Shimada Masahiro

- Suzuki Masahiro

f. **Eastern Three Rivers Flag Leader (東三河旗頭)**:

- Sakai Masahiro (lord of Yoshida Castle)

g. **Matsudaira Clan**:

- Matsudaira Masahiro (lord of Sakura Castle)

- Matsudaira Masahiro (lord of Fukugō Castle)

h. **Castle Holders (城持众)**:

- Honda Masahiro (lord of Tahara Castle)

i. **Regional Leaders (国众)**:

- Tadahiro

- Makino Masahiro

- Suganuma Masahiro

- Nishigō Masahiro

- Ōhira Masahiro

- Toda Masahiro

The independent corps, centered around the samurai commander, is the basic unit of the daimyo's army. The foot soldier commander (足軽大将) leads the foot soldiers, the archer commander (弓大将) leads the archers, the spear commander (槍大将) leads the spearmen, and the musket commander (鉄砲大将) leads the musketeers. The term "足軽大将" first appeared in the Takeda Shingen army. According to the "Kōyō Gunkan" (甲陽軍鑑), Shingen's army had 13 foot soldier commanders. Among these, the unit led by Fujii Kōbei Masahiro had 15 cavalry and 30 foot soldiers. Later, the father of the famous musket tacticians Sanada Yukimura and Sanada Nobushige, Sanada Masahiro, was also listed as a foot soldier commander.

2. **Roving Forces (遊勢)**: Roving forces, also known as guerrillas or special units, use tactics such as raids, ambushes, and night attacks to disrupt enemy supply lines and support combat. They are typically composed of local strongmen, voluntary samurai, and even bandits seeking to profit from the chaos. Although small in number and scale, they do not play a decisive role in the outcome of wars. However, their rapid and flexible tactics, allowing them to fight when they can and retreat when they cannot, can be a significant nuisance to their targets.

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