It is Tuesday, October 20, 1790.

Commanding General Josiah Harmar is now fully informed of the previous days losses under John Hardin. Harmar now determines to send a second detachment to reconnoiter the area north of the Three Rivers.

This second detachment, as with the previous days action, will be unsupported by the main body of Harmar’s Army. This will prove to be a fatal mistake and one Anthony Wayne would learn from in his campaign in 1794.The new contingent numbers some 300 men, mostly militia, and is placed under the command of Ensign Phillip Hartshorn.Hartshorn’s command marches north from the site of Kekionga (present day Fort Wayne) following an Indian trace that is likely known today as Coldwater Road. Somewhere near the present day intersection of Till Road and Coldwater Road, Hartshorn’s command comes under a hot fire once again by warriors under Chief Little Turtle.

As with the Hardin’s defeat less than 24 hours before, the militia are so terror-struck that many do not return fire – instead many drop their arms and flee. It is later said, with some embellishment, that these men won’t stop running until they reach the Ohio River and the relative safety of Kentucky.Ensign Phillip Hartshorn and 70 of his men are killed and scalped in the ambush… and not necessarily in that order. It is a gruesome scene and this battle will become known as Hartshorn’s Defeat.

Hours later, remaining elements of Hartshorn’s contingent limp back to the main body camped at the ruins of Kekionga. Commanding General Harmar now determines to leave the dead where they lay and begin his retreat back to Fort Washington in Cincinnati. Having marched several miles south of Kekionga, Harmar’s army again encamps for the night – all under the watchful eyes of Miami, Shawnee and Delaware scouts.Morale in Harmar’s Army is low.Some of Harmar’s officers are incensed at the idea of leaving their dead and wounded behind. John Hardin prevails upon Harmar to let him take a larger force back to Kekionga to defeat the native resistance – and north to the site of Hartshorn’s defeat to retrieve the dead.This sets up the events of October 22, 1790.