ce in the field, the citadel
of Ozaka was successively taken and retaken by the opposing parties, the
splendid palace of Hideyoshi at Fushimi was given to the flames, and at
length the two armies came together to settle in one great battle the
fate of Japan.

The army of the league against Iyeyasu had many leaders, including the
five governors, most of the generals of the Corean war, and the lords
and vassals of Hideyoshi. Strong as it was, one hundred and eighty
thousand in all, it was moved by contrary purposes, and unity of counsel
was lacking among the chiefs. The army of Iyeyasu, while far weaker, had
but one leader, and was inspired by a single purpose.

On the 1st of October, 1600, the march began, over the great highway
known as the Tokaido. The white banner of Iyeyasu was embroidered with
hollyhocks, his standard a golden fan. "The road to the west is shut,"
prophesied the diviners. "Then I shall knock till it opens," the bold
leader replied.

As they marched onward, a persimmon (_ogaki_ in Japanese) was offered
him. He opened his hand to receive it, saying, as it fell into his palm,
"Ogaki has fallen into my hand." (The significance of this remark lies
in the fact that the camp of the league lay around the castle of Ogaki).

Learning of the near approach of Iyeyasu's force, the opposing army
broke camp and marched to meet him through a sharp rain that wet them to
the skin. Their chosen field of battle, Sekigahara ("plain of the
barrier") by name, is in Omi, near Lake Biwa. It is an expanse of open,
rolling ground, bisected by one of the main roads between Tokio and
Kioto and crossed by a road from Echizen. On this spot was to be fought
one of the greatest battles Japan had ever known, whose result was
destined to settle the fate of the empire for two hundred and fifty
years.

In the early morning of the eventful day one of the pickets of Iyeyasu's
host brought word that the army of the league was in full march from the
castle of Ogaki. This important news was soon confirmed by others, and
the general joyfully cried, "The enemy has indeed fallen into my hand."
Throwing aside his helmet, he knotted a handkerchief over his forehead,
saying that this was all the protection he should need in the coming
battle.

His army was seventy-five thousand strong. That opposed to him exceeded
his in strength by more than fifty thousand men. But neither as yet knew
what they had to encounter, for a fog lay heavy on the