The rest of the militia composed the flank columns and marched under their own officers.
Immediately after crossing the Miami, and reaching the neighborhood of the town, Indians were seen.

The columns were out of touch, and both of those on the flanks pressed forward against small parties of braves, whom they drove before them up the St.Joseph.Heedless of the orders they had received, the militia thus pressed forward, killing and scattering the small parties in their front and losing all connection with the middle column of regulars.

Meanwhile the main body of the Indians gathered to assail this column, and overwhelmed it by numbers; whether they had led the militia away by accident or by design is not known.

The regulars fought well and died hard, but they were completely cut off, and most of them, including their commander, were slain.

A few escaped, and either fled back to camp or up the St.Joseph.Those who took the latter course met the militia returning and informed them of what had happened.