User:Kamek98/Shogun 2/Choshu/Battle of Enshunada Sea

Battle of Enshunada Sea
Part of the Boshin War
Date 11 October 1870 – 24 November 1870 Location Along the Enshunada Sea, Surugu Bay, and towards the southwest portion of the Sagaminada Sea Result Imperial victory
Belligerents
Imperial Court	Tokugawa Shogunate
Commanders and leaders
Sōma Yasuuji Tanegashi Tame Ijuwa Ariie	Kaisen Michihiro  Tokugawa Akitokisu † Oki Tsuneshige  Sakamoto Takakazu
Units involved
Chōshū Imperial Vanguard	Matsumae Shogunal 4th Army Jozai Shogunal 5th Army
Strength
2 frigates 8 corvettes 725 infantry	3 corvettes 233 infantry
Casualties and losses
1 corvette 134 infantry	Unknown

The Battle of Enshunada Sea (sometimes called the Battle of Izu Sea) was a naval battle fought between the 11th of October and the 24th of November in the year 1870 between the forces of the Imperial Court and the Tokugawa Shogunate in various locations through the Enshunada Sea.

Initially, the Jozai Shogunal 5th Army had sent a naval blockade south of the Surugu Bay from a naval base located in present day Nishigasaki, Chiba Province. The naval blockade was led by Oki Tsuneshige and Sakamoto Takakazu, who were quite experienced in naval warfare. In early October, around the same time the blockade begun, the Jozai had started raiding and sinking trade ships that were being sent to or dispatched from Imperial domains south of the Japanese mainland, and possibly even United States trade ships from Hawaii and any other trade ships amongst the northern portion of the Philippine Sea close to the Enshunada Sea.

The Chōshū were quick to act. They had previously established a naval base on Myoga Island, Tsuya Island, and the western coast of Kii Ōshima. Sōma Yasuuji was dispatched from Tsuya Island with three corvettes to oppose the navies under Oki and Sakamoto. The battle between the Jozai and the Chōshū took three days between October 11 and October 13 before Oki and Jozai surrendered.

The Matsumae Shogunal 4th Army followed behind the Jozai's steps nearly a week or two later with more warships. They had begun raiding ships along the southern portion of the Sagaminada Sea. A larger Chōshū navy had surrounded the Matsumae navy, led by Kaisen Michihiro and Tokugawa Akitokisu (not related to the reigning Tokugawa shogunal family). The Matsumae ceased raiding ships from that point until a few weeks into November, but began firing at the Chōshū in an attempt to weaken the naval force of that domain before the Matsumae navy retreated back to the eastern sea. The navy of the Matsumae wasn't efficient in any attacks so they began total retreat in mid-November. By the 19th of November, Tokugawa Akitokisu was killed in action. A few days later, on the 24 of November, Kaisen Michihiro had surrendered.