Kondō Isami
Meanwhile, Kondō Isami, leader of the "Shinsengumi", withdrew to Edo after the Battle of Toba–Fushimi. Once back in Edo, he met with Shogunal military commander Katsu Kaishū. Kondō created a new unit based on the surviving remnants of the "Shinsengumi", called the , and they departed Edo on 24 March.