Kuranosuke OISHI asked 60 to 80 retainers (the number who submitted the oath depends on the books) who agreed to commit seppuku to each submit an oath sealed with his own blood and formed an alliance, although the heads of the groups did not participate, except for Sadayoshi OKUNO.
大石内蔵助は切腹に同調した藩士80人～60人（神文血判を提出した人数は文献によって異なる）それぞれから誓紙血判を提出させて義盟を結ぶが、番頭は奥野定良を除き血判を提出していない。