At the end of the Edo period, the Edo bakufu and the domains abolished the 'firearm units' which bore matchlock guns and there was a growing need to form western-style infantry units and musket units, but due to the fact that the preexisting ashigaru units had already been disbanded and had virtually disappeared, with those remaining serving as low-level officials and security police, new personnel was recruited and infantry units resembling the ashigaru units of the Sengoku period were created.
幕末になって江戸幕府及び諸藩は、火縄銃装備の「鉄砲組」を廃止し、洋式銃装備の「歩兵隊」や「銃隊」を作る必要に迫られたが、従来の足軽隊は既に整理され事実上消滅し、残りも最低定員で末端役人や治安警備担当に振り分けられていたため、新たに人員を募集し戦国時代の足軽隊に似た歩兵部隊を創設した。