OOC: Random Takasugi info - Noyama prison
(x-posted elsewhere blah blah blah)
On May 10, 1863, the Choshu began bombarding foreign ships at Shimonoseki according to both court and Bakufu instructions to expel westerners. The French retaliate, and on 6/5/1863, Choshu decided to restore Takasugi to an official capacity to Shimonoseki, where he was supposed to lead military countermeasures.
Takasugi arrived on 6/6 in Shimonoseki and by 6/15 had organized men from Kusaka’s Komyoji party and other men into the Western-style rifle company, the Kihitei. Takasugi’s efforts were recognized by the han government and on 9/15/1863 he was raised to an office at the policymaking level, and awarded a 160 koku stipend (beyond his father’s stipend).
In October of that year, he left the daily business of the Kihitei to his lieutenants and went to Yamaguchi to assume his new post. One of the tasks Takasugi had to undertake was to dissuade Kijima Matabei, the commander of the Yugekitai, from leading troops back to Kyoto. (Kijima was threatening to go anyways if permission wasn’t granted.)
Takasugi went to Mitajiri on 1/24/64 to meet Kijima, who only agreed to confer with Kusaka, Kido and Shishido Kurobe in Kyoto before making a decision.
At this point, Takasugi should have reported back to the han government in Yamaguchi, but he instead accompanied Kijima to Kyoto, where the others would dissuade Kijima from his plans. As it turned out, Kusaka, Kido and Shishido did dissuade him, but as neither Kijima or Takasugi had traveling orders, these two were in considerable trouble. Takasugi - by doing so - had set a bad example for not only Kijima but as a government official. Also, the situation had apparently worsened - not only were the Yugekitai defecting to Kyoto, but other Choshu corps were also leaving for Kyoto.
This event led to Takasugi’s imprisonment in Noyama when he returned to Yamaguchi on 3/29/64 with Kusaka. He was ordered to Noyama for “fleeing the han” (dappan) but likely was being punished for issues with Kijima.
Takasugi’s stint in prison involved a lot of reading. He kept a daily record during the fourth and fifth months of 1864. This activity baffled the others. As Noyama was viewed as a last stop for terminal prisoners - to devote oneself to reading was considered a wasted activity.
In this time, Yoshida Shoin was not far from the thought of Takasugi. When asked by another prisoner why he bothered, Takasugi responded with the story of a teacher who had taught him “the principle of thought and action” (“Twenty-One Times a Valiant Samurai”) and had foreseen imprisonment and counseled Takasugi to read “and refine the spirit.”
“If you are executed in prison, today’s study will become as last night’s dreams,” the prisoner is said to have responded.
Takasugi’s response purportedly was, “Why should a man who still lives speak of death?”
Sufu Masunosuke also was not far from Takasugi. Apparently frustrated by his colleagues’ increasing wishes to march on Kyoto, Sufu recalled that the only member of the Sonjuku in Hagi who also opposed the march was in prison, decided to seek him out.
The incident was noted as such -
Sufu drew his sword and shoulted that the gates be open. Startled at the sight of the high official, the guards complied and Sufu rode into the courtyard and shouted, “Shinsaku, where are you?”
Takasugi, hearing the greeting thrust his head out of the bars to see what was going on.
Sufu, having seen him, declared, “You have come to this because you scorned your superiors, so while you are in prison, even if for three years, you must study and become an outstanding personality,” before turning his horse around and galloping away.
Encouraged, Takasugi composed the following verse the next day in Sufu’s honor:
“My friend still does not forget righteousness, and
Yesterday he asked my name of the gatekeeper.”
Sufu, due to his actions of drawing a sword in public for something other than official reasons and finding his way into the prison was placed under house arrest for fifty days. (This was unfortunate as he could not intervene in what would become the Battle at Hamaguri Gate.)
On June 21, due to Takasugi’s fathers interventions, Takasugi himself was released to house arrest in his family’s custody.
In the seventh month, news of the incident at Hamaguri began filtering into Hagi, as well as the news that four Sonjuku students had died, including Kusaka Genzui.
PS: The descriptions of Noyama prison are interesting. Also, note that the Choshu were still largely cooperating in 1863 with various Bakufu and court directives. Quite possibly, the events in 1863 arose out ofwhat I refer to as "male stupidity." The sentiments of those marching on Kyoto were that of "rescuing the Emperor" and likely came about because a> the Emperor was wishy-washy (various texts indicate no reasons for his sudden dismissal of the Choshu, often pinning it on various court intrigue) and b> the Choshu corps were hot-headed, headstrong and sometimes impatient. The march on Kyoto was not advised by many prominent liberals/reformists, but unfortunately, the cooler heads could not prevail. Whether Ikedaya has any bearing on reasons for or against the march, I can't determine. If anything, Kido (having survived) continued to urge against this march.
PPS: found a funny reference indicating that the person who later informed the other Choshu of Kido's whereabouts once he went into hiding after these events was Matsu. .
Late 1864 or Early 1865, Matsu apparently showed up one day in Hagi (I believe) after the conservatives had been overthrown (pushed out of power or whatever nice euphemism you want to use) and informed the others that a> he was alive and b> in Osaka (at that point). Kido was rapidly summoned and put into power.
Mind you - this woman was traveling alone on his behalf. Rather spunky, I think.
On May 10, 1863, the Choshu began bombarding foreign ships at Shimonoseki according to both court and Bakufu instructions to expel westerners. The French retaliate, and on 6/5/1863, Choshu decided to restore Takasugi to an official capacity to Shimonoseki, where he was supposed to lead military countermeasures.
Takasugi arrived on 6/6 in Shimonoseki and by 6/15 had organized men from Kusaka’s Komyoji party and other men into the Western-style rifle company, the Kihitei. Takasugi’s efforts were recognized by the han government and on 9/15/1863 he was raised to an office at the policymaking level, and awarded a 160 koku stipend (beyond his father’s stipend).
In October of that year, he left the daily business of the Kihitei to his lieutenants and went to Yamaguchi to assume his new post. One of the tasks Takasugi had to undertake was to dissuade Kijima Matabei, the commander of the Yugekitai, from leading troops back to Kyoto. (Kijima was threatening to go anyways if permission wasn’t granted.)
Takasugi went to Mitajiri on 1/24/64 to meet Kijima, who only agreed to confer with Kusaka, Kido and Shishido Kurobe in Kyoto before making a decision.
At this point, Takasugi should have reported back to the han government in Yamaguchi, but he instead accompanied Kijima to Kyoto, where the others would dissuade Kijima from his plans. As it turned out, Kusaka, Kido and Shishido did dissuade him, but as neither Kijima or Takasugi had traveling orders, these two were in considerable trouble. Takasugi - by doing so - had set a bad example for not only Kijima but as a government official. Also, the situation had apparently worsened - not only were the Yugekitai defecting to Kyoto, but other Choshu corps were also leaving for Kyoto.
This event led to Takasugi’s imprisonment in Noyama when he returned to Yamaguchi on 3/29/64 with Kusaka. He was ordered to Noyama for “fleeing the han” (dappan) but likely was being punished for issues with Kijima.
Takasugi’s stint in prison involved a lot of reading. He kept a daily record during the fourth and fifth months of 1864. This activity baffled the others. As Noyama was viewed as a last stop for terminal prisoners - to devote oneself to reading was considered a wasted activity.
In this time, Yoshida Shoin was not far from the thought of Takasugi. When asked by another prisoner why he bothered, Takasugi responded with the story of a teacher who had taught him “the principle of thought and action” (“Twenty-One Times a Valiant Samurai”) and had foreseen imprisonment and counseled Takasugi to read “and refine the spirit.”
“If you are executed in prison, today’s study will become as last night’s dreams,” the prisoner is said to have responded.
Takasugi’s response purportedly was, “Why should a man who still lives speak of death?”
Sufu Masunosuke also was not far from Takasugi. Apparently frustrated by his colleagues’ increasing wishes to march on Kyoto, Sufu recalled that the only member of the Sonjuku in Hagi who also opposed the march was in prison, decided to seek him out.
The incident was noted as such -
Sufu drew his sword and shoulted that the gates be open. Startled at the sight of the high official, the guards complied and Sufu rode into the courtyard and shouted, “Shinsaku, where are you?”
Takasugi, hearing the greeting thrust his head out of the bars to see what was going on.
Sufu, having seen him, declared, “You have come to this because you scorned your superiors, so while you are in prison, even if for three years, you must study and become an outstanding personality,” before turning his horse around and galloping away.
Encouraged, Takasugi composed the following verse the next day in Sufu’s honor:
“My friend still does not forget righteousness, and
Yesterday he asked my name of the gatekeeper.”
Sufu, due to his actions of drawing a sword in public for something other than official reasons and finding his way into the prison was placed under house arrest for fifty days. (This was unfortunate as he could not intervene in what would become the Battle at Hamaguri Gate.)
On June 21, due to Takasugi’s fathers interventions, Takasugi himself was released to house arrest in his family’s custody.
In the seventh month, news of the incident at Hamaguri began filtering into Hagi, as well as the news that four Sonjuku students had died, including Kusaka Genzui.
PS: The descriptions of Noyama prison are interesting. Also, note that the Choshu were still largely cooperating in 1863 with various Bakufu and court directives. Quite possibly, the events in 1863 arose out ofwhat I refer to as "male stupidity." The sentiments of those marching on Kyoto were that of "rescuing the Emperor" and likely came about because a> the Emperor was wishy-washy (various texts indicate no reasons for his sudden dismissal of the Choshu, often pinning it on various court intrigue) and b> the Choshu corps were hot-headed, headstrong and sometimes impatient. The march on Kyoto was not advised by many prominent liberals/reformists, but unfortunately, the cooler heads could not prevail. Whether Ikedaya has any bearing on reasons for or against the march, I can't determine. If anything, Kido (having survived) continued to urge against this march.
PPS: found a funny reference indicating that the person who later informed the other Choshu of Kido's whereabouts once he went into hiding after these events was Matsu. .
Late 1864 or Early 1865, Matsu apparently showed up one day in Hagi (I believe) after the conservatives had been overthrown (pushed out of power or whatever nice euphemism you want to use) and informed the others that a> he was alive and b> in Osaka (at that point). Kido was rapidly summoned and put into power.
Mind you - this woman was traveling alone on his behalf. Rather spunky, I think.