The two armies faced each other in the thick fog for about two hours. Eventually, when the fog started to thin out, Ii Naomasa and Matsudaira Tadakichi's platoons were passing by Fukushima's troops. Kani Yoshinaga, a vassal of Fukushima Masanori, who was supposed to have been appointed the vanguard by Ieyasu, called them out and questioned them, but they were stationed in front of Fukushima's troops, claiming to be "looking out." Naomasa's platoon fired at Ukita's troops, the main force of the Western Army, which immediately returned fire. At this point, Fukushima's troops, enraged by Ii's advance, charged Ukita's troops. This marked the beginning of the Battle of Sekigahara. Many Eastern Army troops, including Fukushima, Kato, Ii, and Honda, charged Ukita's troops, the strongest of the Western Army's troops, but they retreated one after another due to Ukita's fierce counterattack. Nevertheless, the Eastern Army troops charged Ukita's troops many times, and the fiercest battle of Sekigahara unfolded. The Kuroda and Hosokawa troops attacked Ishida's troops. The battle was fierce, as both troops had high morale. Ishida's troops desperately held back the Eastern troops using cannons and other weapons. A little later, Todo's and Kyogoku's troops attacked Otani's troops, and Tanaka's and Oda's troops attacked Konishi's troops. Ota Ushiichi, who experienced the fierce battle here, wrote the following: Friends and enemies pushed against each other, guns were fired and arrows were shouted, the sky roared, the earth shook, black smoke rose, and the day turned to dark night. Friends and enemies mixed together, their shikoro (armors) tilted, their halberds drawn, and they attacked and fought vigorously. Two hours after the start of the battle, Mitsunari set off smoke signals to encourage the generals who had not yet joined the battle to join the fight. He also sent a messenger to the Shimazu troops to request reinforcements. Of the total forces of the Western Army, only about 33,000 troops were fighting, consisting of Ukita, Ishida, Konishi, and Otani, but due to the advantageous terrain, the battle situation was slightly favorable. If the 47,000 troops, consisting of 15,000 troops of Kobayakawa Hideaki on Mt. Matsuo, 15,000 troops of Mori Hidemoto on Mt. Nangu, and 6,600 troops of Chosokabe Morichika on Mt. Kurihara, attacked the flank and rear of the Eastern Army, the victory of the Western Army would be assured. However, Shimazu refused the request for reinforcement on the grounds that it would be disrespectful because the messengers did not dismount, and Mori Hidemoto, Chosokabe Morichika, Nagatsuka Masaie, and Ankokuji Ekei were blocked on the way by Kikkawa Hiroie, who had already betrayed them, and were unable to join the battle (the Prime Minister's empty lunch box). In the end, the Mori army at Minamiyama, numbering 33,000, was unable to join the battle, which, along with the betrayal of Kobayakawa Hideaki that occurred shortly thereafter, was a major reason for the defeat of the Western Army.