On February 23, IKEGAMI led the platoons of MURATA and FUKAMI toward Kokura, but upon hearing the gunfire of a fierce battle on the way to Kokura, IKEGAMI changed the course to Tabaru and only the platoon of Sansuke MURATA headed toward Kokura.
翌23日に池上が村田・深見らの小隊を率いて小倉へ向けて出発したが、途中で激戦の銃声を聞いて池上は田原に転進し、村田三介の小隊だけが小倉方面へ進んだ。