After having induced the hesitating troops to abandon Tetsutaisho, Daikomitsu had found himself necessarily pressed into their command. In consequence he withdrew from the palace grounds, and taking a temporary stand at Uyeno park undertook, with a small detachment, to check Shibusawa’s advance until, with the main body of the samurai, he had fought his way through the enemy’s line to the northward.

It had grown late in the day by the time Shibusawa had completed his investment of the palace and resumed the advance. The lateness of the hour proved greatly to Daikomitsu’s advantage; so much so that when the mikado’s troops reached Uyeno they were unable to dislodge the enemy, but met with such resistance as to check their advance until the following morning. Each assault had been sharp but decisive, and every attempt met with positive repulse. The loss of life was great and to the surprise of both sides proved to be nearly equal.

Though the battle of Uyeno has ever been accounted a victory for the mikadate, Daikomitsu had cleared the way, and under cover of night marched through the enemy’s lines toward Hakadata in the north. In the meantime Okotsuba had withdrawn the rebel fleet and proceeded on his way to the same place, where they again joined forces and later gained a signal victory over Shibusawa and his modernised army, who had followed hot in pursuit.

They were, however, soon doomed to entire defeat, and upon their final surrender both Daikomitsu and Okotsuba were brought back to Tokyo, and in consideration of their faithfulness and humanitarianism given liberty. The doom of the shogunate had been sounded with the fall of Tetsutaisho, and no power afterwards could have saved their final and complete overthrow.

The news of the great victory of July 4th soon reached Kyoto, and the mikado began making preparations to remove to Tokyo. Without needless delay he started thither, and upon his arrival proclaimed himself emperor of Japan, changed the capital city to Tokyo, and promulgated the constitution as promised: Shibusawa had gained the liberty to marry whom he chose, and he lost no time in so doing.

Upon his return from the north he was offered the highest place in the gift of the emperor, but declining with the utmost respect, Shibusawa chose to become a private citizen; the emperor excusing him only upon his earnest personal request, trusting to his loyalty for the necessary and proper readjustment. Accordingly, Shibusawa forthwith called a meeting of all the daimyos, at which Kido was named mediator; a memorandum being drafted and signed, without a dissenting voice, wherein they declared their willingness to surrender to the new government their titles, their fiefs, and their arms.

The emperor promptly accepted their resignations and promulgated what is known as the Patriotic Act, whereby those who chose were retitled and all reimbursed according to the value of their respective estates.

Shibusawa remained a loyal subject and settled at the capital city, in the old castle under the hill which had for centuries been the home of his ancestors and a pride to the once glorious but now departed court. Here he gathered around him the loyal and the faithful. Others were pensioned or rewarded, and none was dissatisfied. Kinsan had recovered, and the quaint halls once more echoed to the sound of marriage bells. There were a host to do him honour, and a world to keep them faithful, while no sorrow of the past shadowed their future. The prattle of children, the song of a mother, and the solicitude of a father graced their home and cheered their lives, making the battle worth the victory.

They lived as they had hoped, a blessing came as the reward of their faith, and whether in the social hall or before the footboards of the great Donjero: though at toil in the world or at rest in the home, they had found peace, the brightest jewel in the crown of life.