29/04/2024
Heroes of Sekigahara...Tachibana Museshige
Just 8 days before the Battle at Sekigahara, on October 13 1600, a force of Western allies under the command of Tachibana Muneshige, a daimyo from Kyushu, along with Tsukushi Hirokado and Mori Motoyasu, stormed Otsu Castle on the shores of Lake Biwa while on their way to join Ishida Mitsunari.
Tachibana Muneshige had long been associated with the Toyotomi and played an important role in Hideyoshi's Korean campaign. With Kobayakawa Hideaki he had defeated the Chinese army, and in another battle, it was Tachibana who had rescued Kato Kiyomasa and his troops from the siege of Ulsan. Now, assisted by a number of ships belonging to Mash*ta Nagamori, the 15,000 strong force surrounded Otsu Castle, which had been given to Kyogoku Takatsugu in 1590 by Hideyoshi.
Like many of the Western allies, Tachibana Muneshige had issues with Ishida Mitsunari, and served the Western forces only through his loyalty to the late Taiko, Hideyoshi. Finding himself torn between duty and loyalty, Tachibana openly gave his men the choice to defect. Only one of his retainers left to join the East.
Six days into the siege, on October 19, an interesting occurrence took place. At night, the castle’s commander, Kyogoku, sent one of his ninja into the surrounding enemy camp. The stealthy spy stole a number of Mori banners, and the next morning, as a taunt, there were Mori battle flags being flown from the castle walls. Instead of demoralising the attackers as had been planned, it spurred them into amplifying the assault.
Mori, insulted by the action, intensified his efforts to take the castle, as did Tachibana, who, having seen the Mori banners fluttering from the keep, thought that Mori had already taken the castle overnight, and embarrassed at his own lack of action, redoubled his efforts to enter the citadel.
Kyogoku surrendered the castle on October 21, 1600, the day of the actual battle, keeping another 15,000 western troops from joining in the main battle that day.
Interestingly, after the battle, Tachibana Muneshige ran into Shimazu Yoshihiro near Osaka, who was fleeing the battle and also looking for a ship back to Kyushu. (Shimazu had been responsible for the death of Tachibana's birth-father.) Facing defeat, Shimazu offered his head, saying, "This may be the only chance you'll have to avenge your father." Surprisingly, Tachibana Muneshige replied, "Killing a defeated enemy is not an honor for any samurai", and instead, worked with Shimazu to escape safely back to Kyushu.