He was weary of all this marching, campaigning, and bloodshed, and was strongly desirous of settling the whole matter at once.

Having been reinforced after the battle of Chancellorsville by Longstreet's two divisions and a large body of conscripts, he determined to advance.

On May 31st, his force, according to rebel statements, amounted to 88,754, of which 68,352 were ready for duty.

Recruits, too, were constantly coming in from the draft, which was rigidly enforced in the Southern States.
Hooker having learned from his spies that there was much talk of an invasion, wrote to the President on May 28th, that the enemy was undoubtedly about to make a movement of some kind.

On June 3d, McLaws' and Hood's divisions of Longstreet's corps started for the general rendezvous at Culpeper.