Holding ourselves ready for action.–Diary of Josiah Marshall Favill.

June 4th. Yesterday and to-day very hot, reminding us forcibly that summer has come. On account of the continued rain it is very unpleasant. The pickets keep up a continuous fire night and day, and do a good deal of execution; it is a very dangerous duty, particularly for officers, who are picked off by sharpshooters, in preference to the men. Towards evening, we received orders to fall in, and hold ourselves ready for action, the enemy having been seen forming columns of attack; nothing, however, materialized, so we stacked arms, and lay down in rear of them. About 7 P.M. it rained hard, flooding the ground we lay on, but we were obliged to remain throughout the night, the general refusing to let us budge.