Sakuzaemon FURUYA, who had translated "Hohei soren and zukai" (the Infantry Training Manual and Illustrations) and was trying to establish a Western-style infantry for the Edo shogunate, formed the Shohotai together with Shigeaki KUBOTA (son of Shigekatsu KUBOTA) by joining the surviving forces of the eleventh regiment under the command of Sakuma, governor of Omi Province, who had been killed in the Battle of Toba-Fushimi, and the twelfth regiment under the command of Shigeaki KUBOTA, who had also been killed in war.
イギリスの「歩兵操練・図解」を翻訳し、江戸幕府の洋式歩兵部隊の編成を窪田鎮章（窪田鎮勝の子）と進めていた古屋佐久左衛門は、衝鋒隊（鳥羽伏見の戦いで戦死した佐久間近江守の第11連隊と、やはり戦死した窪田鎮章の第12連隊の残存兵力を結集）を組織した。