shogun's advance bodyguards (Edo period)
Historical term for a specific group of foot-soldier bodyguards who walked ahead of the shogun during outings in the Edo period.
During the Edo period, the kachigumi served as advance guards when the shogun went out.
Variant spelling; less common but attested.
Compound of 徒士 (かち, 'foot soldier') and 組 (ぐみ, 'group'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain; the term refers to a specific Edo-period military unit.