Foot soldiers - Kachigumi

A job title in the Edo Shogunate. It is said to have descended from the Hashirishu (running troops) of the Muromachi Shogunate. It can also be written as Togumi. It is said to have been established in 1603 (Keicho 8), but its existence is known to have occurred around the time of the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600. It was based on 15 Honmaru groups and 5 Nishinomaru groups. Each group had one head (controlling the young man's quarters, 1000 koku of service, Hoi, Tsutsuji no Mazume), two group leaders (controlling the head, 150 koku of service, Omemie and below, Kamishimoyaku (rank officers), Tsutsuji no Mazume, and Kakaeseki), and 28 foot soldiers (70 koku of service, five-person stipend, Omemie and below, Haori Hakamayaku (rank officers), and Hai-seki). In 1866 (Keio 2), the foot soldiers were abolished, and the heads were organized into Kinjinami Yoriai, and the groups into rifle units. Their duties were to prepare for the Shogun's hatamoto in times of war, to accompany the Shogun on his journeys in times of peace, and to man the entrance and inner gates in normal times. In general, the foot soldiers were the Shogun's personal guards, in other words, the bodyguards. The foot soldiers were also given many duties, such as accounting, Nikko Magistrate's allowance, and other duties, and compared to other positions, they had more opportunities for promotion, so their stocks were bought and sold at high prices considering their stipends. There were also foot soldiers in various domains that performed almost the same functions as the Shogunate.

[Kitahara Akio]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

江戸幕府の職名。室町幕府の走衆(はしりしゅう)にその系譜を引くという。徒組とも書く。1603年（慶長8）の創置というが、それ以前の1600年関ヶ原の戦い前後にその存在は認められる。本丸15組、西ノ丸5組を基本とした。各組には頭(かしら)1人（若年寄支配、役高1000石、布衣(ほい)、躑躅間詰(つつじのまづめ)）、組頭2人（頭支配、役高150俵、御目見(おめみえ)以下、上下役(かみしもやく)、躑躅間詰、抱席(かかえせき)）、徒士28人（役高70俵五人扶持(ぶち)、御目見以下、羽織袴役(はおりはかまやく)、抱席）があった。1866年（慶応2）徒士組は廃止となり、頭は勤仕並寄合(きんじなみよりあい)、組は銃隊に編成された。その職掌は、戦時には将軍の旗本に備え、平時には将軍の出行に供奉(ぐぶ)し、普段は玄関、中の口などに詰めた。総じて徒士組は将軍身辺の警固役、すなわち親衛隊という性格をもっていた。徒士は支配勘定、日光奉行(ぶぎょう)手付そのほか出役も多くあり、また他の役職に比較して昇格の機会に恵まれていたので、その株は禄高(ろくだか)のわりには高値に売買されたという。また諸藩においても、幕府とほぼ同様の役目をする徒士組があった。

［北原章男］

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