Around the beginning of May, he stayed in his old friend, Tsugunosuke KAWAI's who rose to Hitto karo (the head of chief retainers) of the Echigo Nagaoka Domain at that time, and he came upon the scene where the Nagaoka Domain started the war with the New government army due to breaking off of Ojiya danpan (Ojiya negotiation) after Nagaoka Domain's adhering to neutrality ("Shidankaisokkiroku").
5月始めごろには、旧友で当時越後長岡藩の筆頭家老にまで登りつめていた河井継之助のもとに居り、長岡藩が中立堅持の末、小千谷談判の決裂により新政府軍との開戦に至る現場に居合わせた（『史談会速記録』）。