As it was, he was severely wounded in attempting to rally his men.

The only pickets thrown out appear to have been _two companies of the 17th Connecticut Infantry._ Just as Jackson was about to attack, a furious assault was made at the other end of the line, where Meade was posted.

This was repulsed but it served to distract Hooker's attention from the real point of danger on the right.
It would seem from all accounts that nothing could vanquish Howard's incredulity.

He appeared to take so little interest in Jackson's approach that when Captain George E.Farmer, one of Pleasonton's staff, reported to him that he had found a rebel battery posted directly on the flank of the Eleventh Corps, he was, to use his own language, _"courteously received, but Howard did not seem to believe there was any force of the enemy in his immediate front."_ Sickles and Pleasonton were doing all they could to ascertain Jackson's position, for at this time a small detachment of the Third Corps were making a reconnoissance on the Orange Court House Plank Road, and Rodes states that our cavalry was met there and skirmished with Stuart's advance.

Farmer said _he saw no Union pickets,_ but noticed on his return that Howard's men were away from their arms, which were stacked, and that they were playing cards, etc., utterly unsuspicious of danger and unprepared for a contest.