The Battle of Minisink took place during the American Revolutionary War at Minisink Ford, New York, on July 22, 1779. It was the only major skirmish of the Revolutionary War fought in the upper Delaware River valley. The battle was a decisive Iroquois and Loyalist victory, as the Patriot militia was hastily assembled, ill-equipped and inexperienced. Although British forces were largely concentrated on Manhattan Island, Joseph Brant, a Mohawk war chief and a Captain in the British Army, was sent along with his Brant's Volunteers on a quest for provisions, to gather intelligence on the Delaware in the vicinity of Minisink, and to disrupt the upcoming American Sullivan Campaign. In July 1779, he received word that Brigadier General Kazimierz Pulaski's forces had moved into Pennsylvania, leaving much of the Delaware Valley undefended. Brant led his force of Loyalists and Iroquois raiders through the valley, with the goal of seizing supplies and demoralizing the colonists. With Brant's force of 60 tribesmen and 27 Tories disguised as Indians in pursuit, the settlers were forced to flee to more populated areas. On the morning of July 22, the militia moved into position on a hill to the east of the confluence of the Lackawaxen and Delaware Rivers, intending to ambush Brant's forces as they crossed the Minisink Ford. Hathorn split his men into a group of skirmishers and two other groups comprising the main force.

Before the ambush was fully set, however, an accidental rifle discharge alerted Brant to the trap. Brant quickly gained the higher ground to the rear of Hathorn's position and opened fire. Hathorn was unable to regroup his men for a counterattack. Many of his men retreated, leaving the rest of the militia surrounded and outnumbered. After several hours of exchanging shots, ammunition began to run low, and the battle devolved into hand-to-hand combat. At least 46 militiamen were killed, including Tusten. Brant's men gave no quarter to the wounded and captured, however, one of the wounded, Captain John Wood, was spared because Brant mistakenly believed him to be a fellow Mason. Brant lost only seven men. Brant wrote that three were killed during the battle, and that four were dangerously wounded and would probably not survive. Although badly wounded, Hathorn survived, returning to Warwick to write his report of the loss to his superiors. After the battle, Brant and his men forded the Delaware River and continued on to their encampment at the Susquehanna River. Three weeks later, the Continental Army sent 3,000 troops to avenge Minisink and Goshen, destroying every Iroquois village in their path. Brant finally met his defeat in late August, at the Battle of Newtown.