was riding south on the pike behind Ferguson's men. South of Stephenson's Depot, Merritt's and Averell's divisions linked to form a large force of five brigades. They passed the Charlestown Road around 2:00pm, but advanced slowly with their horses at a walk. At the same time, the Confederate cavalry brigades of Ferguson and Smith regrouped on the pike about south from their confrontation with Devin. Here, at a thick pine forest near the Rutherford Farm, they joined Lee with Payne's Cavalry Brigade and artillery. Lee also had the unexpected assistance of Vaughn's Cavalry and Mounted Infantry Brigade, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Onslow Bean, which returned over difficult terrain around Little North Mountain after destroying a B&O Railroad bridge over Back Creek. Crook joins the battle Crook's two infantry divisions began moving to the front around 1:00pm. Crook's 6,000 men would be protecting the extreme right of the XIX Corps instead of his preference of advancing to the extreme left and occupying the south side of Winchester. Colonel Joseph Thoburn arrived at the front around 2:00pm with the First and Third brigades of his 1st Division, while his Second Brigade remained with the supply wagons on the east side of Opequon Creek. Colonel Isaac H. Duval's 2nd Division followed. Crook moved his men to an open field behind (east of) the First Woods, and Dwight's 1st Division of the XIX Corps was fighting while the 2nd Division of the XIX Corps was in disarray. After surveying the situation and conferring with Dwight, Crook sent Thoburn's Division forward on the south side of Red Bud Run to where the First Woods meets the Middle Field, while Crook went with Duval's Division north toward Red Bud Run. Crook's orders were to protect the XIX Corps' right flank, but he decided his fresh troops could be aggressive instead of simply holding in a defensive position. At the beginning of the battle, he hoped to move his army around Early's right to the south side of Winchester and cut off Early's route of retreat. That option was now gone, but he believed he could move around Early's left (Gordon, north side of Winchester) and relieve the pressure on the XIX Corps. Crook and Duval's Division crossed Red Bud Run, bringing du Pont's artillery brigade. They moved west and came upon several companies from the 153rd New York Infantry Regiment of the XIX Corps, who had