Although the Shinsengumi are described by historians as a “ruthless murder squad”, they are praised as heroes and brave warriors of the Bakumatsu period in Japan. The Shinsengumi, also referred to as the Roshigumi and quite often called The Wolves of Mibu, was an organization of roshi, or masterless samurai whom were under the order of the Bakufu military government and was founded by Kiyokawa Hachiro. The Shinsengumi were charged with the protection of the Tokugawa shogun, which is a military general of Shogunate Japan and the Emperor at the time, Emperor Komei. The first meeting of the Shinsengumi took place in Edo on February 8, 1864…show more content… Some deaths were much heavier than others. The heaviest of them all was the death of Kondo Isami, the head commander. Kondo was at the Osaka Castle with Okita Soji, who was ill with Tuberculosis the time, during the Battle of Toba-Fushimi in January of 1868. Kondo returned to Edo, reorganized the Shinsengumi to Koyo Chinbutai and the Koyo Chinbutai headed to Kofu Castle but lost the Battle of Koshu-Katsunuma. In April, when the Shinsengumi were surrounded by the imperial troops at Nagareyama, Kondo sacrificed himself and surrendered. Kondo Isami was beheaded on May 17, 1868 at Itabashi. The second most powerful death of the Shinsengumi was that of Okita Soji, who died of Tuberculosis in 1868. His death struck the commanders hard when this news had reached them. The final most important death of the Shinsengumi was the death of the Shinsengumi’s head spy, Yamazaki Susumu. He died on the battleship Fujisanmaru on the way to Edo. According to the Shinsengumi Ibun, Kondo Isami gave a tearful condolence speech in his