April 16th. The routine of camp life abruptly terminated to-day by receipt of orders to prepare for immediate service. We could scarcely believe that we were really going to leave our comfortable winter quarters and again take the field, but there it was, in black and white. “Troops to prepare at once eight days’ rations and one hundred and sixty rounds of ammunition to be issued.” The order was to leave extra clothing, camp equipage, etc., behind, the extra five days’ rations to be carried in knapsacks instead of clothing, etc.
We hear that General Hooker proposes to open the campaign by turning the flanks of the enemy, drawing him out of his entrenchments, and fighting him in the open. If the operation is successful, our camp equipage can easily be brought up whilst in case of a reverse we can simply fall back again to our starting place.
