Nyorai kupfuurira kweiyi ndima - Musi waJune 1, 1862, apo akanga achitungamirira brigade yeUnion muFair Oaks
, Howard akakuvadzwa kaviri muruoko rwake rworudyi, urwo rwakazodimburwa. (Akagamuchira Medal of Honor muna 1893 nokuda kwoushingi hwake paFair Oaks.) Brig. Gen. Philip Kearny, uyo akanga arasikirwa noruoko rwake rworuboshwe, akashanyira Howard ndokuseka kuti vaizokwanisa kutenga magirovhosi pamwe chete. Howard akapora nokukurumidza zvakakwana kuti adzokere kuhondo nokuda kweHondo yeAntietam, umo akakwira kumukuru wechikamu mu II Corps. Akakwidziridzwa kuva mukuru mukuru munaNovember 1862 uye akatora kutungamira kweXI Corps muna Kubvumbi akatevera, achitsiva Maj. Gen. Franz Sigel. Sezvo uto racho rakanga rakaumbwa zvikurukuru nevapoteri vokuGermany, vazhinji vavo vakanga vasingatauri chiNgezi, varwi vacho vakanga vasingafariri mutungamiriri wavo mutsva uye vakashevedzera pachena kuti Sigel adzorerwe.