Hacchooki Ancient Battlefield Park
In order to retake Nagaoka Castle, Tsugunosuke Kawai planned to unite all the forces of Nagaoka and secretly cross the Haccho-oki River to rush into the castle.
Then, at around 7:00 p.m. on July 24, 1868 (Keio 4), he began his action, and his entire army of over 600 men secretly dug in, reaching Tomishima before dawn on July 25, and after a fierce battle, occupied the frontline base of the new government forces in Miyashita. The entire army was then divided into four units, and moved on to a furious advance toward Nagaoka Castle.
Caught by surprise, the new government forces fought desperately to defend the castle, but by midday the victory was clear and they succeeded in recapturing Nagaoka Castle.
Tsugunosuke's Haccho-oki crossing operation is still highly regarded today as a strategy that sensed the weakness of the defenses in this area and skillfully took advantage of their weakness.
八丁沖古戦場パーク
河井継之助は、長岡城奪回のため、長岡全軍の力を一つにして、この八丁沖を密かに渡り、一気に城下へ突入することを計画しました。
そして慶応4年(1868)7月24日午後7時ごろ行動を開始し、全軍600余名声をひそめて潜行し、7月25日未明に富島へたどり着き、大激戦のすえ宮下の新政府軍前線基地を占領しました。さらに、全軍を4手に分け、長岡城をめざして猛進撃に移りました。
不意を突かれた新政府軍は、必死に防戦したが昼すぎには勝敗は明らかとなり、長岡城の奪回に成功しました。
継之助のこの八丁沖渡河作戦は、この方面の防備が手薄なのを察知し、巧みにその虚をついた作戦として、現在でも高く評価されています。