My dear Sir:—
I have this moment had placed in my hands your letter of April 22nd addressed to Maj. Gen. Samuel Dalton, expressing to the Commander-in-Chief the willingness and desire of the officers and men of the Eighth Regiment to respond to any call for volunteers and tendering the services of the Regiment, if agreeable to the wishes of the Commander-in-Chief, to form a part of any quota that Massachusetts may be called upon to furnish.
I appreciate highly the zeal and patriotism of your offer, which will be placed upon file for future reference.
Very truly yours,
Roger Wolcott."
On April 23rd the President called for one hundred twenty-five thousand volunteers, and on April 25th war was declared with Spain. During the evening of the 25th, Governor Wolcott was notified by a telegram from the Secretary of War, that the Massachusetts quota, under the call of the President, would be four regiments of infantry, and three batteries of heavy artillery. Nothing was yet decided how these regiments should be raised.
The infantry organizations in Massachusetts Militia were at this time five line regiments and two corps of cadets. This information as to the Massachusetts quota increased the suspense, as it was apparent, that even if militia regiments were accepted, all could not go. About this time the newspapers published statements from the Governor, which were construed to mean, the state militia would be used for local defence, as there was much talk of a descent upon the Massachusetts coast by Cevera's fleet, which was then rendezvouing at the Cape Verde Islands.
The suspense of the militia was not relieved until late in the afternoon of April 27th, when the Governor received a letter from the Secretary of War, requesting him to furnish four regiments of infantry to serve for the period of two years unless sooner discharged. In his letter the Secretary of War expressed a desire that as far as practicable, the National Guard be given preference.
To meet this summons to arms, the Governor, by an order issued April 28th, designated as the four infantry regiments to be offered the privilege of volunteering under this call, the Second, Sixth, Eighth and Ninth. The commanding officers of these regiments were required to cause an individual canvass to be made of their subordinate officers and enlisted men, to ascertain and make careful record of those desiring to volunteer. These were to be held subject to future orders and at the earliest possible day, mustered into the service of the United States.
On the same evening that this communication was received from the Secretary of War, the Governor notified the Colonel of the Eighth Regiment to report to him in person the next morning at the State House, Boston. Colonel William A. Pew, Jr. immediately notified all the officers of the regiment to meet him at the State House the following afternoon at 2 o'clock. The commanding officers of the four regiments designated, to be given the privilege of volunteering, met the Governor at the State House in the forenoon of April 28th, and received their official orders. They were directed to recruit their companies to seventy-four men, and were informed that the field, staff, and company officers would be appointed by the Governor, upon the recommendation of the commanding officer of each regiment.
At 2 o'clock in the afternoon, Colonel Pew met the officers of the Eighth at the State House, and arranged the details for the organization of the regiment. The various company commanders had already received orders from Regimental Headquarters to secure a list of recruits, so that if called into the active service, they would have their companies at war strength. The militia companies at this time were allowed sixty men in the State service.