Just in case something should go wrong, he selected retainers with excellent swordsman skills in particular for the chinbushi (temporary provincial superintendent): Tsunayoshi OYAMA, Shigeru NARAHARA, Gorobe MICHIJIMA, Yuemon SUZUKI, Masanosuke SUZUKI, Kanenoshin YAMAGUCHI, Chuzaemon KOKA, and Zensuke MORIOKA.
ただし万が一を考え、鎮撫使には特に剣術に優れた藩士を選んだ（大山綱良・奈良原繁・道島五郎兵衛・鈴木勇右衛門・鈴木昌之助・山口金之進・江夏仲左衛門・森岡善助。