Takebashi, where Palaceside Building stands, is also remembered in history for a major incident of the early Meiji era — the "Takebashi Incident" of August 1878 (Meiji 11). More than 260 soldiers of the Imperial Guard Artillery First Battalion rose in revolt. Generally explained as rural second and third sons conscripted under the conscription ordinance, they acted out of dissatisfaction with rewards after the previous year's Satsuma Rebellion, killed their battalion commander, and attempted to petition the Emperor directly.
In early Meiji, an Imperial Guard barracks was placed in Kitanomaru near Takebashi; in 1874 (Meiji 7) infantry and artillery barracks were set up at the west end of the bridge and called the Takebashi Barracks — roughly where Imperial Palace Police staff housing now lines the stone wall along the Inner Moat. An extra edition of the predecessor of The Mainichi Newspapers, the Tokyo Nichi Nichi Shimbun, dated August 25, 1878 (photo above), reports as follows (punctuation omitted in the original; quoted as is in spirit): "The outrage of the Imperial Guard artillery on the night before last was truly an unexpected disturbance; from ministers and councillors above to us common people below, all were stunned, not knowing where to turn...... Seeking the origin of the riot, it was not a matter of a day or two: first, the Imperial Guard artillery had received higher pay than other units, but when Army Ministry quotas were recently reduced, their pay was suddenly cut, which they resented; second, this Imperial Guard artillery had distinguished itself at Ueki and Tabaruzaka in last year's rebellion...... yet after the army's triumphal return, every unit received imperial commendation except this one, which received none — they imagined governmental unfairness...... they resolved to petition the government...... After eleven in the evening the men took up arms, left camp, and quickly formed ranks...... The major (Artillery Battalion Commander Major Utsunomiya)...... gave orders to stop them, but...... the ruffians swung bayonets and some fired; the major was cut down...... The ruffians still sought to aid their violence...... firing cannon into Councillor Okuma's residence and wildly firing rifles toward the Imperial Guard infantry gate...... fighting for a time, until guards defending the Imperial Guard arsenal shot at them from behind; the mob abandoned their cannon and retreated...... Around midnight they were completely routed; six killed on the spot, more than seventy captured, the remaining 104...... fled from Daikanchō toward the Half-Moon Gate......" Two months later, without adequate investigation, a court-martial sentenced 53 men (average age 24) to death; they were shot that same day at a drill ground in Ecchujima (Koto Ward). A familiar "swift conclusion." In October of the same year a military admonition was issued, leading in 1882 to the Imperial Rescript to Soldiers and Sailors — the incident became a catalyst for strict military discipline. The shock to the government was immense. Little known publicly before the war, the incident sank into obscurity until, a century later, new light was shed upon it.