Nagashino 1575 - Takeda Center Attack

Even though Takeda Katsuyori was faced with a numerically superior enemy force, Katsuyori, over the objections of his veteran commanders, opted to attack. Wary of the Takeda cavalry charge, Oda Nobunaga constructed wooden palisades, interspersed with breaks to allow counterattacks. …

1575-06-28

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Even though Takeda Katsuyori was faced with a numerically superior enemy force, Katsuyori, over the objections of his veteran commanders, opted to attack. Wary of the Takeda cavalry charge, Oda Nobunaga constructed wooden palisades, interspersed with breaks to allow counterattacks. In the center, when Katsuyori attack force emerged from the forest, he saw an opportunity to defeat his enemies and ordered his cavalry to charge. It was a straightforward fight, with Naito Masatoyo and Takeda Nobukado leading the attack. The Oda-Tokugawa line, held out in the face of a series of Takeda cavalry charges, which could not to break the gunners' resolve. Unable to breach the Oda defenses by mid-afternoon, the Takeda were forced to retire and the siege was lifted. The victory was a measure of revenge for Tokugawa Ieyasu who had lost an army to the Takeda cavalry earlier at Mikata-Ga-Hara.

Nagashino Castle, Mikawa, Honshu, Japan

Takeda Katsuyori attacked the castle on 16 June, using Takeda gold miners to tunnel under the walls, rafts to ferry samurai across the rivers, and siege towers. On 22 June the siege became a blockade, complete with palisades and cables strewn across the river. Sadamasa's wife, Kamehime, was the daughter of Tokugawa Ieyasu. She helped to defend the castle by sending a letter with Torii Suneemon which asked her father for reinforcements. Torii reached Okazaki, where Ieyasu and Nobunaga promised help. Later, both Tokugawa Ieyasu and Oda Nobunaga sent troops to assist Sadamasa to break the siege and defeat Katsuyori. Returning that message back to the castle, Torii was captured and hung on a cross before the castle walls. However, he was still able to shout out that relief was on the way before he was killed. Okudaira Sadamasa led the castle garrison and held firm, repelling the Takeda siege until an allied Tokugawa-Oda relief force arrived.

Wikipedia: Battle of Nagashino

Oda - Tokugawa

Takeda