Battle of the Takase River
14th of Arashigatsu, Year 3577 (6th of January, 1144)
Iesada Yamashita had been fighting a "war" against the Eastern Shogunate for 4 years now to some extent. Operating out of the swampy, murky lands of the Owase, he had been fighting to keep ahold of his Domain that the Mononobe Shogun was trying to depose him from for his repeated insubordination.
The Shogun had not truly committed many resources to remove Yamashita, instead relying on other local Daimyos of the Imamura and Wakabayashi Domains to root out the "Swamp Samurai". A lull in the fighting had been underway for around a year after a ceasefire was negotiated between the three that would allow Yamashita to hold on to the lands, he still controlled for the time being, but this ceasefire expired on the First of Arashigatsu.
Yamashita, knowing that he would likely be crushed if he didn't act immediately, decided to go for the throat of the Wakabayashi, the city of Yokosuka, before the Imamura could reinforce him.
On the other side, Jo Wakabayashi, the son of the Daimyo and eager to find glory lead the best forces of the domain to quickly intercept Yamashita against his father's own advice of waiting. Along opposite banks of the Takase River, the two forces would meet.
Yamashita had received word the night before this famous battle about Taiho's ascension and being an ardent believer in the Taiho prophecy himself, saw it as the sign that the Kami were on his side. The odds were stacked against him in this fight from a military standpoint, as his force was mostly armed with matchlocks, swords, pikes and the occasional flintlock while the Wakabayashi force was entirely armed with Rifled Muskets, and well disciplined. This mattered little in his guerrilla fights in the swamp, but Yamashita knew that the difference between his motivated rabble and the trained professionals he faced would likely result in defeat... had he not had the fortune of capturing 8 artillery pieces in his mad dash. These modern guns, he thought, would be able to turn the tide in his favour.
Speaking to his men, the grizzled Daimyo, who was the very picture of a samurai with the wind flowing in his hair made his plan apparent rather fast.
"Not only will you take their positions, but you will drive them from the field with your courage, zeal and faith in the Kami and our Emperor."
His eight guns battered the Wakabayashi during his speech, and when he was finished, he drew his Katana and shouted "Tenno heika BANZAI!" At once, the farmers turned zealous warriors turned into an unstoppable wave that not only made its way across the river despite the volleys from the Wakabayashi, but to the other bank and engaged them in melee. Their unstoppable will proved to be all it took, and the Wakabayashi routed from the field. Jo himself was caught in the mess, rumored by Yamashita himself, who according to legend shouted "JOWARI DA!" before slicing him in half with his sword.
The day was won, and it was quite the victory. The 1500 Wakabayashians lost around half of their force, and many of them had thrown down their rifles to escape, leaving Yamashita quite the prize to arm his men with. Not only that, but they left a lot of sake too, which all too pleased the Yamashitans. It might not have been realised at the time, but this battle was the first true battle of the Heishin War and one of it's most important as it would lead to the fall of Yokosuka without a fight less than a month later, and the embolden other Domains to take up the cause.