and the
other, until he finds that they are positive burdens to himself and
horse, and gradually he throws off this weight and that incumbrance,
until his entire outfit is reduced to nearly "the little end of nothing,
whittled to a point!" Possessed of a coffee-bag and cup and a hard-tack
or biscuit, the most essential things, he seldom now borrows much
trouble about the rest of men and things.

_April 20._--We commenced march at four o'clock this morning on the
road to Sulphur Springs. Scarcely had we gone out of our bivouacs before
a drenching rain-storm set in, and continued incessantly until we were
forced to halt, the mud being really oceanic. The day being quite warm,
we experienced but little discomfort from the wet until night. The
weather then became cold, and every thing being so wet, it was difficult
to make fires; consequently we had a very tedious night. A fellow
considered himself fortunate, if, after toiling long through the cold
and dark, he could succeed to cook a little coffee. But the soldier will
have his coffee, if it be possible, and then he is quite contented with
his lot.

On the twenty-first, all we could do was to change our position, to get
out of the very deep mud, which one night's treading of the horses' feet
produced. On the following day in the afternoon the Cavalry Corps moved
from Waterloo Bridge to Warrenton Junction. The day was pleasant, though
the roads are still in a fearful condition. Our infantry is engaged in
repairing the railroad to Rappahannock Station. We are evidently on the
eve of some important movements.

Before night, many of the boys were made glad by the reception of a
large mail from the North, which is the first we have received since we
left our winter-quarters on the thirteenth instant. Nearly every man had
a letter, and there was general contentment all around. The mail-bag is
always a welcome visitor, especially in times like this, and it is not
the least of the instrumentalities which mould our character and give
tone to our _morale_.

_April 23._--Another drenching rain set in this morning and continued
without cessation throughout the day. We were all drowned out of our
little shelter-tents, and many preferred to take the chastisement face
to face with the merciless elements. We were a sorry looking company of
men, drenched with the rain, bespattered with mud, and chilled with the
cold. Our fires, well-nigh quenched by the falling floods, were of very
l