Although the higher status enjoyed by the oban gashira, who was merely a head of security and an army captain compared to "Ometsuke" or "machi-bugyo" (town magistrate) who were, in fact, hatamoto in the 3,000 koku class, appears strange from the modern perspective, persons appointed to take charge of defense and military affairs were regarded more important in the shogunate, which was by nature a military regime.
現代の先入観でみると、警備隊長・一指揮官にすぎない大番頭が、3000石級の旗本の任である町奉行や、大目付より格上なポストであることに違和感をおぼえる向きもあると思われるが、幕府はいわば軍事政権であるから、軍事・警備の責任者の地位が高かったのである。