If the two wings of the rebel army had been kept apart, the small force left under Lee could easily have been crushed, or driven off toward Richmond. The commander of the Eleventh Corps, however, far from making any new works, did not man those he had, but left his own lines and went with Barlow's brigade to see what Sickles was doing.
The subsequent investigation of this sad business by the Congressional Committee on the Conduct of the War was very much of a farce, and necessarily unreliable; for so long as both Hooker and Howard were left in high command, it was absurd to suppose their subordinates would testify against them. Any officer that did so would have soon found his military career brought to a close.
Howard was in one or two instances mildly censured for not keeping a better lookout, but as a general thing the whole blame was thrown on the Germans. Hooker himself attributed the trouble to the fact that Howard did not follow up Jackson's movements, and allowed his men to stray from their arms.
A great French military writer has said, "It is permissible for an officer to be defeated; but never to be surprised."
It is, of course, only fair to hear what Howard himself has to say in relation to this matter.
He writes in his official report of the battle as follows:
"Now as to the cause of the disaster to my corps.
"First.—Though constantly threatened, and apprised of the moving of the enemy, yet the woods were so dense that he was able to move a large force, whose exact whereabouts neither patrols, reconnoissances, nor scouts ascertained.
"He succeeded in forming a column opposite to and outflanking my right.
"Second.—By the panic produced by the enemy's reverse fire, regiments and artillery were thrown suddenly upon those in position.