Battle of Ino 1556

The Battle of Ino in 1556 was one of key conflicts for Nobunaga's quest of Owari.  He would end up in triumph and remarkably, he was outnumbered 2 to 1.  Shibata Katsuie (fighting for Oda Nobuyuki at the time) had 1,000 men while Hayashi Mimasaka (Hayashi Hidesada's brother) had 700. Nobunaga at the time of the battle only had 700 and his command post was on an edge of a bamboo grove to the east.

Chronicle of Lord Nobunaga (p.79-80)

"On the 24th of the Eighth Month, at the Hour of the Horse(around noon), Nobunaga opened the attack toward the southeast, striking at Shibata Gonroku's unit with the greater part of his forces,  Blows fell thick and fast, and Yamada Jibuzaemon was killed. Shibata Gonroku took Yamada's head but was wounded himself and left the battlefield in a hurry. Sassa Magosuke was killed,and numerous accomplished warriors either were killed or fled to Nobunaga's presence.  At his side Oda Shozaemon, Oda Sake no Jo (Nobufusa), Mori Sanzaemon (Yoshinari), and about forty attendants armed with pikes.  Sake no Jo and Sanzaemon together struck down Ohara of Tsuchida, a samurai originally of the Kiyosu warrior band, and then shoved and pished one another while trying to snatch Ohara's head.  the two sides clashed; the battle raged; Lord Kazua no suke roared.  The enemy fighters, who were after all his kinsman and retainers, saw grandeur.  In the end, the enemy collapsed and fled.  A servant of Sake no Jo, a man called Zenmon, cut down Kobe Heishiro and said, 'My lord, take his head.'  But Sake no Jo merely replied responded, 'Just cut him down as many as you can,' and kept moving.

Next Nobunaga turned south, to take on Hayashi Mimasaka's force.  Here Kuroda Hanbei and Hayashi Mimasaka slashed at each other for hours, and Hanbei's left hand was cut off.  when Hanbei and Mimasaka both were spent, Kazusa no Suke Nobunaga engaged Mimasaka.  Guchu Sugiwaka, one of Oda Shozaemon's menials, fought so well that juncture that he was subsequently promoted and given the name Sugizaemon no Jo.

Nobunaga struck down Hayashi Mimasaka and cut off his head, taking revenge for Hayashi's treason.  the enemy was routed with united forces, but then it was every man for himself.  each of Nobunaga's men had his horse brought up from the rear, jumped on it, and took off in pursuit of the fleeing enemy.  They came back from the chase with many a head.  That day, Nobunaga returned from the battlefield to Kiyosu.  the next day, he personally inspected the heads that had been taken:

The head of Hayashi Mimasaka  taken by Oda Kazusa no Suke Nobunaga.
Kamata Suke no Jo  Taken by Tsuda Sama no Jo (Moritsuki).
Tomino Sakyo no Shin  taken by Takabatake Sanemon.
Yamaguchi Matajiro taken by Kimata Rokurosaburo.
Hashimoto Juzo taken by Sakuma Daigaku.
Tsunoda Shingo taken by Matsura Kamesuke."


Tenka no tame!