Sōma Kazue

Sōma Kazue (相馬 かずえ), originally known as Sōma Tonomo (相馬 主殿 read as そうま とのも) c. 1843 – unknown) was a member of the Shinsengumi. He used the name Kazue while being part of the samurai unit.
As shown in the Hakuōki franchise, Sōma was a very young but loyal member of the Shinsengumi who stayed their ally until the end.
==Background==
Sōma Kazue was born as the son of Shibahashi Heihachirō Yoshikata, a feudal retainer of the Kasama Domain in Hitachi Province. The exact year of his birth is uncertain, with some sources suggesting it was in 1835 and others in 1843.
==Shinsengumi==
In 1865, he left his domain and enlisted in the infantry recruitment of the Tokugawa Bakufu. He was stationed in Mitsupura (present-day Matsuyama City, Ehime Prefecture) during the Second Chōshū expedition.
After the dissolution of the Chōshū expedition force, he joined the Shinsengumi. The exact time of his enlistment is unknown, but he was already a member by the time of the Battle of Toba-Fushimi in January 1868. He then served as the deputy head of the sub-leader group in the Kōyō Chinbutai (甲陽鎮撫隊, "Pacification Corps"), where he distinguished himself.
==Boshin War==
In the aftermath of the Battle of Toba-Fushimi, he visited the Bakufu's governor-general's office in Itabashi to seek clemency for Kondō Isami, who had surrendered to the new government. However, both Sōma and Kondō were arrested. They were scheduled to be executed on April 25, but due to Kondō's plea, they were spared execution and placed under house arrest in the Kasama Domain.
Later, Sōma escaped and joined the Shinsengumi's ally, the Shōgitai, under the command of Kasuga Saemon. After the Shōgitai's dissolution, he fought as a former Bakufu retainer in the Bandai region and had a reunion with the Shinsengumi's superior, Hijikata Toshizō, in Sendai.
In the Republic of Ezo, he mainly served in the policing duties within Hakodate city. When Hijikata fell in battle during the Battle of Hakodate, the remaining Shinsengumi soldiers at the Benten Daiba nominated Sōma as their leader and signed a letter of submission, marking the end of the Shinsengumi's history. According to a letter by Takamatsu Ryūun, Sōma assumed the role of leader on May 15, 1869.
==After the war==
During the Meiji era, on October 10, 1870, he was exiled to Izu Shimoshima under suspicion of being involved in the assassination of Itō Kashitarō. He was placed under the custody of the master carpenter Uemura Jinbei and opened a school at that location. He also married Jinbei's second daughter, Matsu.
In 1872, he was granted pardon and moved to Tokyo with his wife. In 1873, he started working as a 15th rank official in Toyooka Prefecture. He was later promoted to a 14th rank official in 1874 and mainly served in the judicial department. However, in February 1875, he was suddenly dismissed from his post and returned to Tokyo.
==Death==
After returning to Tokyo, he passed away. It is commonly believed that he died by suicide, and when his wife, Matsu, returned home, she found him already having performed seppuku. At that moment, Sōma strictly instructed her to keep his death secret, and she faithfully followed his wishes, leaving the details of his death and the location of his grave unknown to this day.
==References==
*『茨城史林』30号　筑波書林
*『新選組日記』木村幸比古編・PHP新書
*『贈友談話』日野市立新選組のふるさと歴史館蔵
*『新撰組北翔伝 晨星落落』：明治維新以降の新撰組を扱った音声作品。相馬は三巻の主人公として登場。
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Category:Historical counterparts