17th.—I am feeble to-day, from my indisposition of yesterday. Army was astir at 4 A. M. Have had a fine day, marched fifteen miles, towards Stafford Court House. Men in fine spirits. The prospect of work has reanimated them, and they are perfectly satisfied with the exchange of Commanders. At 8 P. M. it is raining hard, and I fear the good weather is over. Hard as we have worked for the last two days, and unfavorable as is the prospect of the weather, when the order came, a few minutes since, to continue the march at 6 A. M., to-morrow, there went up a long, loud “Hurrah for Old Burney!” The men want business. They wish to close this war; and, if the officers only prove true to the country and to their Commander-in-Chief, I predict for him, (based on the energy of his troops,) a brilliant campaign.
