the south side of Middletown. All three Union divisions were eventually pulled back to a defensive position on the northwest side of Meadow Brook. Some cohesion was lost for this withdrawal, as Ricketts was wounded. The Confederates attacked around 7:30am, with Kershaw attacking Keifer, and Evans attacking Wheaton. Although initially repulsed, Kershaw and Evans drove the two Union divisions northwest by 8:00am. This put two Confederate divisions, Kershaw and Evans, beyond Getty's right. At that time, Getty's 2nd Division became the only organized Union infantry south of Middletown. With no support on his right, Getty moved his division back about to a stronger defensive position at the town cemetery on a partially wooded hill west of Middletown. For over an hour, Getty's division defended this position against Confederate frontal assaults from the divisions of Ramseur, Pegram, and Wharton. During this time, Getty assumed command of the VICorps because of the wounding of Ricketts, and Brigadier General Lewis A. Grant assumed command of the division. After 30 minutes of artillery fire, Grant finally moved back and rested for 20 minutes. He then moved the division back about , unopposed, where he found support from Union cavalry on his east side. Union cavalry and Sheridan's ride Custer and Merritt's Union cavalry divisions were north of the infantry when the Confederate attack began. Although Rosser had skirmished with Custer's men, he appeared tentative and did not press an attack. While waiting for orders, both Merritt and Custer sent their escort companies to the Valley Pike to attempt to stop Union infantry men from fleeing toward Winchester. Between 9:00am and 10:00am, Wright ordered Torbert to move the cavalry from the Union right to the Union left. Leaving three companies from Custer's Division to face Rosser, Custer and Merritt moved to the west side of the Valley Turnpike, about threequarters of a mile (1.21km) northeast of Middletown. Although they faced strong artillery fire, they prevented Early from getting to the rear of the Union army. On his return trip from the Washington conference, Sheridan spent the night in Winchester on October 18. At 6:00am on October 19, pickets south of Winchester reported to him that they heard the distant sounds of artillery. Sheridan assumed the noise was from Grover's reconnaissance mission, and dismissed the report. As additional reports arrived, he ordered the horses to be saddled and ate a quick breakfast. By 9:00am he was