The Third Infantry Division was moved in to replace the 45th, which was now ticketed for the upcoming invasion of the Italian mainland. In recalling events on Sicily in his biography, Middleton noted a strain in his relationship with General Patton. Patton, never comfortable as the brunt of someone else's humor, felt that the Mauldin cartoons published in the division newspaper were irreverent and unsoldierly. Middleton consistently defended Mauldin, but was verbally ordered by Patton to get rid of Mauldin and his cartoons. When Middleton told Patton to put the order in writing, the issue was dropped. Soon thereafter, Patton had much more to worry about after he slapped two soldiers who he suspected of malingering in hospitals. These incidents brought General Patton public condemnation, and loss of his command.