Each of the camps may be referred to as the Imperial forces, the Seigun (forces in the west) and the Sat-Cho forces on the new government's side, and the Togun (forces in the east) on the former Shogunate's side, but, in this section, they are conveniently referred as to the new government's forces and the former Shogunate forces.
陣営の呼称として、新政府側については官軍、西軍、薩長軍、旧幕府側については東軍、といった呼び方もなされるが、本項目では便宜上新政府軍と旧幕府軍に呼称を統一する。