However, when Ono was surprised that there was no sign of decreasing the number of soldiers who took flight and returned to Chiyogaoka jinya, he was told by his colleagues such as Torao OSHIMA and Saisuke YASUTOMI that Hijikata was killed in the war.
しかし、敗走兵の留まる様子が無いことに驚いて千代ヶ岡陣屋へ引き返したところ、同役の大島寅雄・安富才助らから土方の戦死を知らされた。