On the way, in Sendai, he merged the remnants of Denshutai (Edo shogunate's army) which was put to rout in the Aizu War, Old Shinsengumi and Shogitai, then reached Kitakami and Morimachi (Hokkaido) where he suppressed each region, captured Goryokaku, got the Prefectural Governor, Kinnaru SHIMIZUDANI, on the run and put the whole Ezo Island under his control.
途中仙台で会津戦争で敗走した伝習隊、旧新選組や彰義隊の残党を吸収し、北上、森町(北海道)に上陸し、各地を平定、五稜郭を攻略し、府知事清水谷公考を敗走させ、蝦夷全島を支配下に置いた。