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

Chapter 92 The Battle of Uehara Castle Against Tokugawa (Part 4)
As night falls, everything is silent.

The foot soldiers of the Sanada family all drifted off to sleep.

Sanada Nobuyuki sat alone on a large rock, watching the bonfires burning along the shore of Lake Suwa below. The continuous flames proved the Tokugawa army's overwhelming numbers, undoubtedly the greatest test for the Sanada clan.

Although the Hojo clan had previously launched an attack on Shinano and Kai with tens of thousands of troops, the Sanada clan had not directly engaged the Hojo clan in battle.

Even in the Ueno region, Nobuyuki Sanada himself did not personally go to Numata Castle to participate in the siege.

So this was the first time Nobuyuki Sanada had experienced such a "grand scene," and to be honest, his hands were shaking.

It wasn't fear, but rather excitement.

After sitting for half an hour, Sanada Nobuyuki felt sleepy and fell asleep with his head on a pile of straw.

After hiking in the mountains for several days, Xiaoxing wore out a pair of straw sandals. Luckily, she had prepared a lot before setting out, otherwise she would have really been fighting barefoot.

Nothing happened all night.

The next morning, Nobuyuki Sanada was awakened by birdsong.

The moment he opened his eyes, Nobuyuki Sanada quickly rolled over and looked down the mountain.

The Tokugawa army below the mountain had not yet moved out; only sparse wisps of smoke rose from the chimneys. Sanada Nobuyuki breathed a sigh of relief.

"Why didn't you wake me up?" Sanada Nobuyuki asked, feigning anger as he looked at Suzuki Kotaro, who was standing ramrod straight to the side.

Suzuki Kotaro took out two rice balls from his pocket. "Seeing that Lord Genzaburo is sleeping soundly, and moreover, the enemy has not yet made a move, I did not allow anyone to disturb you."

Sanada Nobuyuki was also taken aback when he took the rice ball.

Compared to yesterday's chill, today's rice ball was still warm. Nobuyuki Sanada quickly realized that Kotaro Suzuki had been keeping him warm all morning.

"And yours?" Nobuyuki Sanada asked while chewing his rice ball.

Kotaro Suzuki quickly grinned and said, "I've already eaten."

“This morning, everyone got two rice balls.” Suzuki Kotaro added, fearing that Sanada Nobuyuki might not believe him.

Sanada Nobuyuki then lowered his head and focused on eating.

This meal may be the last meal for many people.

Lake Suwa.

Sakai Tadatsugu left the main camp and led his foot soldiers slowly towards Mizuno Katsunari's encampment.

Upon entering the camp, Sakai Tadatsugu saw that all the foot soldiers were already lined up and ready to go. He nodded and called Mizuno Katsunari over.

"Rokuzaemon, I've noticed that none of your foot soldiers seem to have had breakfast along the way?"

Mizuno Katsunari replied firmly, "I have already given the order: take Uehara Castle, then we'll have breakfast!"

"it is good!"

"They have a lot of morale!" Sakai Tadatsugu gave Mizuno Katsunari an approving look.

"Once we take Uehara Castle, I'll give you dried plums and rice!"

Mizuno Katsunari immediately replied, "It's already broad daylight, I request permission to go into battle!"

"Let's go!" Sakai Tadatsugu nodded.

Woo! Woo! Woo!
As the conch shell rang out, Mizuno Katsunari mounted his warhorse, holding a long spear, with a "Yongle Tongbao" flag stuck behind him, and took the lead.

One thousand Mizuno clan soldiers followed closely behind, bypassing Lake Suwa and marching towards Uehara Castle.

Meanwhile, Kiso Yoshimasa and Ogasawara Nobutane, who were deploying their forces outside Uehara Castle, also learned of the Tokugawa army's advance behind them.

"The Tokugawa army has arrived; the capture of Uehara Castle is today!"

"We can't just hand over the credit for the first battle. How about we launch an offensive against Uehara Castle first?" Kiso Yoshimasa raised an eyebrow at Ogasawara Nobutane and said with a smile.

Ogasawara Nobuteru's heart skipped a beat. "Isn't this a bit inappropriate?"

"We've made no progress at Uehara Castle for so many days. If the Tokugawa clan takes Uehara Castle, what impression will we leave on Lord Mikawa?"

“That’s true.” Ogasawara Nobutaka nodded.

"Uehara Castle only has the Ninomaru and Honmaru left. Let's go out and attack first. Regardless of whether we can break through the castle, let's get the credit for going out first first."

Kiso Yoshimasa made up his mind to attack Uehara Castle before Mizuno Katsunari arrived.

Nobutaka Ogasawara expressed his approval.

Just do it.

Kiso Yoshimasa quickly ordered the entire army to attack, and more than 3,000 men began to approach Uehara Castle.

Sanada Masayuki also noticed the movements of Kiso Yoshimasa and the others, and immediately sent someone to observe the direction of Mount Omi.

Upon learning that no smoke signals were being raised at Mount Omi, Sanada Masayuki smiled. "Kiso Yoshimasa was previously hesitant to engage the main clan in battle, but today he is so proactive; it must be that the Tokugawa army has begun to move out."

"Trying to get the credit first, hahaha, that's more like Kiso's style."

Having served the Takeda clan alongside Kiso Yoshimasa for many years, Sanada Masayuki knew all too well the character of these former Takeda retainers.

"Armored gunners, take your positions and prepare to engage the enemy!" Sanada Masayuki laughed and immediately issued the battle order.

Before long, Kiso Yoshimasa's army arrived at the gates of Uehara Castle.

Looking at Uehara Castle, which was no longer what it used to be, Kiso Yoshimasa sighed deeply.

Back in the day, this castle was one of the strongest fortified castles in Shinano, but now only a bare citadel stands atop Mount Kinpira.

"Siege!"

After expressing his feelings, Yoshimasa Kiso waved his hand.

Hundreds of foot soldiers armed with arquebuses and bows and arrows, led by samurai, began to slowly approach the foot of the mountain.

Soon, wooden shields were placed on the hillside, and the Kiso family's arquebusiers began to take their positions.

At the same time, the Sanada family's arquebuses on the castle wall also opened fire.

boom! boom! boom!
Whoosh!Whoosh!Whoosh!
Gunfire erupted throughout Shangyuan City, and arrows rained down.

The foot soldiers of the Kiso family immediately launched a counterattack.

The two sides exchanged fierce fire, and foot soldiers were frequently shot and fell.

Sanada Masayuki's attention was not on the battle below Uehara Castle; his gaze was fixed on Mount Ōmi in the distance.

Finally, as a beacon fire rose from the mountaintop, Sanada Masayuki slammed his hand on the city wall in front of him.

"coming!"

Yes, Mizuno Katsunari has already begun crossing the eastern shore of Lake Suwa with his foot soldiers.

"Open the city gates and advance!"

Sanada Masayuki has been waiting for this moment.

The first signal fire indicates that the Tokugawa clan has arrived at the designated combat area, and Sanada Nobuyuki will then launch an attack on the Tokugawa clan.

At Sanada Masayuki's command, the gates of Uehara Castle were immediately opened.

After the conch shell sounded, Kuwahara Castle, not far from Uehara Castle, also opened its gates.

Horita Sakubei, Nezu Masatsuna, and Mochizuki Masayori each led three hundred men down from Kuwabara Castle and attacked Kiso Yoshimasa's left flank.

When Kiso Yoshimasa saw that Sanada Masayuki had actually taken the initiative to come out of the castle to meet the enemy, he was not surprised but delighted. "The Sanada family actually dares to take the initiative to attack. Who gave Awa no Kami the guts?"

"The Tokugawa army is right behind us! Everyone, prepare to fight!"

"Oh!"

More than two hundred Kiso cavalrymen immediately set out from their main camp to meet the defenders of Kuwabara Castle, and Ogasawara Nobutane also commanded his foot soldiers to join the battle.

Kiso Yoshimasa quickly engaged Sanada Masayuki, who had broken out of Uehara Castle.

Meanwhile, Mizuno Katsunari, who was advancing towards Uehara Castle from the rear, also learned of the battle ahead and angrily cursed.

"Those bastards from Shinano, they beat me to it!"

"Everyone, speed up! The enemy has already left the city. Let's annihilate them in one fell swoop!"

"Oh!"

The Mizuno family foot soldiers just wanted to finish their battle and eat as soon as possible, so they shouted and followed Mizuno Katsunari at a rapid pace.

Meanwhile, on the mountainside, Shan Shangdao lay on the slope, looking anxious.

"Why hasn't Lord Genzaburo given the order yet?"

"The enemy is about to charge through."

Several hundred meters away at Monomii Rock, Sanada Nobuyuki was also keeping an eye on Mizuno Katsunari's team.

When Sanada Nobuyuki saw Mizuno Katsunari's troops marching forward in a single file, he turned around and ordered, "Give the order to Dokichi."

"Attack!"

　As shown in the illustration, the terrain near Lake Suwa is very advantageous for defending the castle.

　　The lakeside road shown on the map is very wide. This was created by filling in the land and excavating the nearby mountains. I have seen a map of Lake Suwa from 1677, where the roads on both sides were very narrow, but I can't find the map anymore.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)