Japan's Sengoku Period: The Sanada Clan's Ambition

Chapter 95 The Battle of Uehara Castle (Final)
Tadatsugu Sakai was furious.

He couldn't understand how the war had turned out this way.

However, he quickly realized that he could no longer send more troops forward.

The vanguard of Mizuno Katsunari's troops has been completely routed, and Okudaira Nobumasa's forces are also unstable. The battlefield is now filled with fleeing soldiers.

Continuing to reinforce troops would only be a piecemeal tactic. What needs to be done now is to establish formations in the rear, gather the routed troops, and prepare to fight off the pursuing enemy forces.

"The main force is deployed and set up in front of Suwa Shimoshamoncho."

"Cannons are in front, and spears are arranged on both sides."

"If any fleeing soldiers charge, kill them immediately."

"what!"

As a senior retainer of the Tokugawa clan and a seasoned general, Sakai Tadatsugu immediately made the most accurate deployment.

Soon, as Tadatsugu Sakai's main force moved forward, they began to approach the battlefield.

Hordes of fleeing soldiers surged from the front lines. Sakai Tadatsugu had given prior orders, so the main camp's arquebuses opened fire immediately upon these headless, swarming deserters.

This greatly deterred the fleeing foot soldiers, who all bypassed the main camp and fled in all directions.

“Raise my banner and prepare to receive deserters.”

"what!"

Several flag-bearing samurai quickly raised the Tokugawa family's banner and Sakai Tadatsugu's horse seal to indicate the location of their main camp.

Upon seeing the signal, the fleeing foot soldiers began to move back towards their main camp.

When Nobumasa Okudaira learned that Tadatsugu Sakai was right behind him, he breathed a sigh of relief and quickly called for his foot soldiers to move closer to the main camp.

Okudaira Sadaharu approached Okudaira Nobumasa with his sword drawn. "My lord, you should lead the men and retreat first. I will stay behind to cover the retreat."

"Uncle, be careful." Nobumasa Okudaira didn't waste any words. Now was not the time to talk about these things; preserving the troops was the top priority.

Seeing that Okudaira Nobumasa had begun to retreat, Okudaira Sadaharu immediately led more than twenty of his samurai to charge at the Sanada army.

Sanada Nobuyuki's hands were almost numb from chopping, and at this moment he had lost count of how many enemies he had killed.

Ten? Or twenty?

All he knew was that after this battle, he had to get a good gun if he had the chance. His previous gun had just broken in two, so he could only fight with a katana.

"My lord, the enemy has begun to retreat," Hirabayashi Masatsune said, pulling Sanada Nobuyuki back and pointing ahead.

Sanada Nobuyuki stopped and looked ahead. "It seems that the Tokugawa clan's main camp is just behind us."

"Not all the Tokugawas are useless. It seems this war is over."

Seeing that the enemy troops did not continue their charge to provide reinforcements, Sanada Nobuyuki knew that there was no need to continue the battle.

There are still two or three thousand men at the Tokugawa main camp ahead. If my few hundred men charge forward, it will be no different than sending them to their deaths.

In any case, the morale of the Tokugawa clan has been shattered by this battle, and they will be unable to continue fighting for the foreseeable future. Since the objective has been achieved, there is no need to create further complications.

Moreover, fierce fighting is still taking place in Uehara Castle behind them.

"Order to cease pursuit, with the rear guard becoming the vanguard, and to retreat slowly."

"Yes!"

On the left flank of the Tokugawa main camp, a foot soldier force of over a thousand men kept a close watch on the Sanada clan's forces.

Only after seeing the Sanada family slowly retreat did Sakai Tadatsugu, who was riding on horseback, slowly lower the spear in his hand.

"Sanada... Interesting."

Inside the Sanada clan's main camp outside Uehara Castle, Sanada Masayuki looked at the two beacon fires burning in the distance and felt somewhat anxious.

According to the original battle plan, once the Tokugawa clan committed all its forces to the battle, three beacon fires should have been lit on Mount Ōmi.

More than two hours have passed, but the third beacon fire has yet to be lit.

"Could it be that Genzaburo is on the other side?"

"No, the fact that no Tokugawa troops have reached Uehara Castle yet means that Genzaburo must have stopped the enemy."

"Never mind!" Sanada Masayuki was no man of indecisiveness. "Bring me my spear!"

"My lord, you only need to stay at Uehara Castle. How can you risk your life?" Nezu Yukina held onto Sanada Masayuki tightly.

Sanada Masayuki shoved Nezu Yukinao aside, then pointed to the battlefield in the distance and said, "Our clan's foot soldiers are fighting fiercely, and Genzaburo is facing several times the number of Tokugawa troops."

"This battle concerns the very survival of the Sanada family, so say no more!"

"Back in the days of Mikatagahara, I also followed Lord Shingen in defeating the Tokugawa clan. How does today's battle compare to Mikatagahara?"

"All men, heed my command and follow me into battle!"

Sanada Masayuki mounted his horse, took the spear from the hand beside him, and then kicked the horse's belly, charging straight ahead.

Nezu Yukinao had no choice but to follow. At this time, under Uehara Castle, the Sanada clan's forces were already embroiled in a chaotic battle with Ogasawara Nobutane and Kiso Yoshimasa.

Horita Sakubei and others, who rushed out of Kuwabara Castle, held back Ogasawara Nobutane, while Takanashi Naiki, Suwa Yoritada, and others took the lead.

The Kiso clan's cavalry constantly patrolled the battlefield, launching charges whenever they had the chance. Cavalry units during Japan's Sengoku period were not primarily used for charging into enemy lines, but rather as rapid mobile forces for flanking maneuvers.

The battle lines were constantly being stretched out, and the entire outer perimeter of the castle town was filled with fighting foot soldiers.

The horse insignia representing Sanada Masayuki quickly rushed into the battlefield. Seeing the commander-in-chief taking the field, the morale of the Sanada family's foot soldiers soared.

Kiso Yoshimasa also saw Sanada Masayuki's horse seal and immediately ordered, "The enemy's commander-in-chief has already set out, let's go too!"

Kiso Yoshimasa quickly led his men to block Sanada Masayuki's path.

"Iyo no Kami, I never expected you to betray your own clan and collude with the Tokugawa to attack Shinano!"

"How could Lord Shingen have trusted such a despicable person as you back then!" Sanada Masayuki cursed angrily upon seeing Kiso Yoshimasa.

Kiso Yoshimasa blushed, but quickly retorted, "I am not your retainer, Awa no Kami. You should worry about yourself first."

"on!"

At Kiso Yoshimasa's command, hundreds of foot soldiers behind him began to charge towards Sanada Masayuki.

Sanada Masayuki quickly spurred his horse to meet the attack.

At this time, the situation on the battlefield remained tense.

The two sides were evenly matched in terms of military strength, and the Sanada clan did not have an absolute advantage.

Kiso Yoshimasa, confident in the support of the Tokugawa clan, launched a very proactive attack, leaving virtually no reserves and deploying almost his entire army.

However, after the battle had been deadlocked for some time, the reinforcements they were longing for had not yet arrived, which made Yoshimasa Kiso somewhat anxious.

While this might prevent defeat, the casualties among the foot soldiers were steadily increasing, and Kiso Yoshimasa was finding it difficult to hold on.

"Two hours have passed, why haven't the Tokugawa reinforcements arrived yet?"

"Didn't they say that Mizuno Katsunari was already on his way?" Ogasawara Nobutaka also ran over.

After fighting for so long, more than a hundred of his men have been killed or wounded.

The main problem is that reinforcements are slow to arrive, which makes us unsure of what to do.

Just as Kiso Yoshimasa was about to send someone to urge reinforcements from the rear, a samurai rode up at full speed on horseback.

"It's bad news! The Tokugawa clan's reinforcements have been ambushed by enemy forces in the vicinity of Suwa Shimosha."

"What?" Ogasawara Nobutsune and Kiso Yoshimasa's expressions changed simultaneously.

Shimojo Ryan said with a mournful face, "The Mizuno family's entire army has been defeated, and now the Tokugawa army has retreated to the Suwa Taisha Monmae area."

"No reinforcements."

On the street in front of the Suwa Grand Shrine, far from Uehara Castle, Obata Nobusada ran wildly.

Upon learning of the Shinano uprising, Obata Nobusada immediately mobilized his troops within his domain to prepare to support the Sanada clan.

Not long after, Sanada Nobuyuki's plea for help was delivered to Kunimine Castle.

After receiving the letter, Obata Nobusada led his men into Shinano without saying a word.

He had a close personal relationship with Sanada Masayuki, and both served under Takeda Shingen, Takeda Katsuyori, and Takigawa Kazumasu.

The Tokugawa clan was a major enemy of the Takeda clan, and many members of the Obata clan also died in the Battle of Nagashino.

Faced with the Tokugawa clan's attack, Obata Nobusada could not remain a bystander. Most importantly, if the Tokugawa clan conquered Shinano after the vassals of Ueno broke away from the Hojo clan, Ueno would be doomed.

"My lord, the Sanada clan is engaged in battle with the Kiso army on the front lines!" Several scouts rode up from the front.

Obata Nobusada glanced at the five hundred mounted soldiers behind him and immediately waved his hand.

"Charge!"

The Tokugawa clan, defeated by the Sankahara forces, and the Kiso clan, traitors to the Takeda clan—great, all the elements are there.

The last glory of the Takeda cavalry will be displayed to the world by me, Obata Nobusada.

"kill!"

Five hundred Shangzhou cavalrymen charged in from the left side of the battlefield, heading directly for the flank of the Kiso family.

Kiso Yoshimasa had no reserves and could only watch helplessly as the Obata clan's cavalry swept through the enemy lines.

Upon hearing the news of Tokugawa's crushing defeat in the rear, Kiso Yoshimasa suddenly fainted.

Upon seeing this, Ogasawara Nobutsune immediately ordered, "Retreat!"

"retreat!"

(End of this chapter)