In October, 1861, Hisamatsu decided to attempt to procure a position as a court noble or Samurai and reorganized the retainers in important ways, but he lacked a connection in Kyoto, so Okubo and Horijiro who were the Konando-yaku (the position charged with the shogun's personal care) advised sending a letter of recall to Saigo.
文久元年10月、久光は公武周旋に乗り出す決意をして要路重臣の更迭を行ったが、京都での手づるがなく、小納戸役の大久保・堀次郎らの進言で西郷に召還状を出した。