d by Thoburn and by Hayes.
From the valley road on the left, Emory's line stretched
crescent-wise, until its right rested upon a natural bastion formed
by the highest part of the hill, whence the descent is precipitous,
not only to the creek in front, but on the flank to the gorge of
Meadow Brook. This little stream rising some miles farther north near
Newtown, and flowing now between high banks and again through marshy
borders in a general direction nearly parallel to the road, empties
into Cedar Creek about three quarters of a mile above the bridge.
Just below the mouth of the brook Cedar Creek can be crossed by a
ford lying nearly in a direct prolongation of the line of the valley
road from the point where in descending it swerves to the east to
pass the bridge, and midway between the bridge and the Meadow Brook
ford is still another ford overlooked by Emory's right wing and
commanded by the guns of his artillery. Dwight's division formed
the right of Emory's line and Grover's the left. From right to
left the front line was composed of the brigades of Thomas, Molineux,
Birge, and Macauley, with Davis in reserve supporting Thomas, and
Shunk, likewise in reserve, supporting Macauley and Birge.(3)

The fronts of Emory and Crook overlooking the creek were strongly
entrenched, and Crook was engaged in extending his line of works
toward the left and rear of Thoburn to cover the front of Hayes,
but this fresh line was as yet unoccupied. Wright's corps, commanded
by Ricketts during the absence of Sheridan, while Wright himself
commanded the army, was held in reserve on the high ground known
as Red Hill overlooking Meadow Brook from the eastward, the divisions
encamped for convenience in a sort of irregular echelon, with
Ricketts's, under Keifer, in front, Upton's, commanded by Wheaton,
on the right and rear in close support, and Getty's on the left
and rear of both, and thus nearer to the valley road than either.
Behind the Sixth Corps, opposite Middletown, on the high ground on
both sides of Marsh Run, was Merritt, and far away on his right,
watching the approaches and the crossing by the back road, stood
Custer.

As the Sixth Corps held no part of the front, but formed a general
reserve, its position was not entrenched. Torbert, Emory, and
Crook each picketed and watched his own front, and there was not
a horseman between the infantry and the supposed position of the
enemy at or beyond Fisher's Hill.

Emory had f