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Miniatures Adventure => Adventures in the Far East => Topic started by: Siaba on 29 September 2016, 12:16:55 PM

Title: Boshin war unit size
Post by: Siaba on 29 September 2016, 12:16:55 PM

Any idea of the number of men in a bataillon during the Boshin war ?

Title: Re: Boshin war unit size
Post by: OSHIROmodels on 29 September 2016, 02:26:35 PM

Imperial troops tended to have around 1000 in a battalion split into 4 companies and some samurai units could have as many as 2000.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satsuma_Rebellion (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satsuma_Rebellion)

Not quite Boshin War but the numbers didn't really change that much. There are of course quite a few different numbers for different units as there were still a lot of 'un-regulated' units present.

I'm sure Rokurota will be along shortly to tell you better than I can  :)

cheers

James

Title: Re: Boshin war unit size
Post by: Siaba on 29 September 2016, 05:40:32 PM

It's very helpful. Thank you, James  :)

Title: Re: Boshin war unit size
Post by: rokurota on 30 September 2016, 09:53:42 AM

Theoretical organisation appears to have been into battalions of 400 or 500 men.  For example, the Shogunate forces assembled in Osaka to march on Kyoto at the beginning of 1868 included 12 battalions of Hohei regular infantry

Title: Re: Boshin war unit size
Post by: Siaba on 30 September 2016, 02:16:06 PM

OK, thank you very much.
Any advice on a book or website where I could find precise orders of battles for some battles of the Boshin war, please ?

Title: Re: Boshin war unit size
Post by: rokurota on 30 September 2016, 07:12:26 PM

I hope this can help you:

- Armies of the 19th Century: Asia: Japan and Korea by Ian Heath (English text)

- Japanese Military Uniforms 1841-1929
From the fall of the Shogunate to the Russo-Japanese War by Ritta Nakanishi (Japanese and English text)

- Illustrated Boshin & Seinan War by Gakken (Japanese text)