> I've come across a lot of fictional Choshuu infiltrators to the
> Shinsengumi but do we any documentation on "real" ones?
>
> Barb (who can never remember the little details...)
Choshuu was actually sending many spies into Shinsengumi.
Although I do not know in detail about them, if I talk about a
famous spy, I will talk about Kusunoki Kojyuurou.
His talk appears in "Shinsengumi-monogatari" of the work of
Shimozawa Kan.
Kusunoki has joined Shinsengumi by the command of Katsura Kogorou at
the very early time when Shinsengumi was formed.
He was the very beautiful boy who did voice gentle to like a woman.
He was killed by Harada Sanosuke with the sword on September 26,
1864.
Yagi Tamesaburou of the second son of a Yagi house spoke about this
story.
It was a misty deep morning.
Tamesaburou which was still a boy was walking in the direction of
Maekawa's residence.
(Maekawa's residence was used as Shinsengumi headquarters as well as
the residence of Yagi.)
Kusunoki stood in front of the gate of Maekawa's residence.
Since Kusunoki often played with Tamesaburou, Tamesaburou approached
him in the intimate feeling.
Suddenly, Kusunoki raised the loud cry, and he began to run,
staggering.
The sword shone behind Kusunoki.
"Yarou." someone shouted.
(Yarou is the word used when speaking ill of a male.)
Harada came out from the inside of the gate.
From the inside of the gate, Harada was cutting the back of Kusunoki.
Kusunoki staggered and escaped into the field which spreads in front
of Maekawa's residence.
Harada pursued him and ran.
Tamesaburou became fearful and escaped.
After a while, he went to Maekawa's residence once again together
with the families of Yagi.
Maekawa's gate was closed firmly.
When Maekawa's gate closed, there was always an incident within
Shinsengumi.
And they went to the direction of a field.
The body of Kusunoki was carried away by Shinsengumi.
The vegetables of a field were stepped on and were full of blood.
Then, Tamesaburou got to know that Kusunoki was the spy of Choshuu
and was killed together with other spies.
However, Tamesaburou thought it very pitiful that Kusunoki like a
woman was pursued and killed by very quick-tempered Harada.
In Maekawa's residence, other spies as well as him were killed on
that day.
Mikura Isetake and Araki Samanosuke were the spies of Choshuu as
well as Kusunoki.
They invited the barber to headquarters and had had their sakayaki
shaved.
(sakayaki is the portion which shaved the hair of a head. The
customs of sakayaki began from the Muromachi period. If hair is not
shaved when a samurai wears armor, a head is steamed and it is very
dangerous.^^;;;
People of other classes also performed these customs at the Edo
period. When set to Bakumatsu, it was in fashion not to shave
sakayaki among samurais. However, the samurais who value manners
shaved sakayaki every morning, and prepared appearance. For them,
the barber came every morning.)
Mikura and Araki sat on the veranda and were making the barber
prepare hair.
Saitou and Nagakura absorbed their footstep and approached behind
Choshuu spies.
Saitou and Nagakura stabbed and killed the back of the spies of
Choshuu.
Matsui Ryuzaburou, Echigo Saburou, and Matsunaga Kazue who looked at
it escaped.
(Naturally, they are also the spies of Chosyuu.)
Although Okita and Toudou pursued spies, they were not able to catch
spies.
This incident arose ten days after Serizawa group assassination.
Therefore, Serizawa's assassination was made into what these spies
performed.
Of course, the truth is different.^^;;;
About other spies, I do not know well.
There is an opinion that Saeki Matasaburou was a Choshuu spy.
In the Taiga drama, he became a Shinsengumi member from the domestic
of Yagi house, and flattered Serizawa.
And he was killed by Serizawa by trifling mistake.
He of a historical fact is not related to Yagi house.
He was killed by Serizawa. The reason is not known.
Since he stole Serizawa's important thing, there is an opinion that
he was killed by Serizawa.
Or since he raped the girl whom Serizawa wanted, he is said to have
been killed by Serizawa.
However, an opinion completely different from these exists.
There is an opinion that he was the spy who went into Shinsengumi by
the command of Yoshida Toshimaro.
And since he betrayed Choshuu, he was killed by Yoshida.
It is not known whether this is a true story.
To the last, it is one of the talks told.
Or there is an opinion that Niimi Nishiki was the spy of Choshuu.
This is the opinion which Kimura Sachihiko of Ryozen museum has
said.
Ryozen museum is a museum which is exhibiting the articles left by
the departed of Ishin-shishis.
(In Shinsengumi relations, many articles left by the departed of
Shimada Kai exist.)
This museum is located in Kyoto.
Ryozen shrine which deified Ishin-shishis exists in the
neighborhood.
Furthermore, the cemetery of Ishi-Shishis, such as Sakamoto Ryoma
and Takasugi Shinsaku, exists.
Katsura Kogorou built here for Ishin-shishis.
According to Mr. Kimura's opinion, Niimi is deified in Ryozen
shrine.
Katsura deified him here.
Only Ishin-shishis which had a contribution to the Meiji government
is deified in this shrine.
Mr. Kimura thought that Niimi was spying within Shinsengumi by the
command of Katsura.
I think that this opinion is very much interesting.
I think that Choshuu was really fearful enemy for Shinsengumi if
this was true.
It means that Shinsengumi had had an enemy's spy in one of
captains....Fear!