The reasons why Saigo's army was stronger in hand-to-hand fights are considered as follows: Saigo's army occupied a vantage ground, and there was a tremendous difference in the sword-handling ability between the warrior class, who had been familiar with handling swords, and the conscripted soldiers, who had had only a few years of sword-handling training.
西郷軍の白兵戦が強かったのは、地の利が西郷軍にあったことと、幼い頃より刀剣に慣れ親しんでいた士族と、訓練されたとはいえ数年程度の徴集兵では錬度に雲泥の差があったからである。