Excellant point. As often is in life, the most dramatic events are not always the most influential.

Battles like Gettysburg did have their dramatic impact due to their scale. And that impact did change the direction of the War and how the war should be handled for an example Grant was placed in command over Meade. But in fact of matter the war in 1864 was still fought in many ways the same as it had been fought in 1862. Just Grant didn't retreat after each lost to regroup as the other Gen'l had.

Had he done so I wonder how this Joint Committee would have viewed Grant. In fact Grant did come under a lot of Investigation by this committee over the high numbers of troops he lost. And at one point it was pretty much Lincoln's support for his political friend from Gelena, that kept Grant in the war.

So Balls Bluff did have influence until the end of the war with this committee.