Kumebe Masachika isn’t a well-known Shinsengumi member. Very little is known about him but I thought I should write him anyway just because like Hijikata Toshizou he too attempted to create an independent nation. He was born on April 17, 1841 in Settsudai-saka and joined the Shinsengumi in the first year of the Keiou on May. He was a Coporal and acted as an Army Scout. He too fought in Toba-Fushimi and returned to Edo in January. He fought along with Saitou Hajime (then known as Jirou Yamaguchi) in Buddha Hall on September and was mistakenly thought to have died. However he was able to escape and got in contact with some kindred minds from Mito. There he decides to go to Hachijo island for the sake of building an independent country along with Ikeda Shichisaburou (another Shinsengumi member). However they were caught in October Meiji 1 and was sent to the penitence group (I’m unsure if this is the same Penitence group Saitou belonged in perhaps not). After serving his sentence as a POW he is escorted to Tokyo and serves the army. In the 12th year he is a first lieutenant and retires from the army in the 19th year. Kumebe dies in Sendai-shi Miyagi on September 25, 1910.
Here is a picture of him…
Hmmm I think the guy is remarkable just like Saitou and Hijikata. It’s too bad I don’t know much about him, so any extra info you may have, kindly let me know what and where.
Feel free to use in whatever… Again Kizu’s usual disclaimers apply.