From the State House, company commanders immediately proceeded to their home stations, and began recruiting to seventy-four men.
Although the night of April 28th was stormy, and rain fell in torrents, excitement was high, and the company armories of the Eighth were filled with militiamen, and recruiting was brisk. There was no difficulty in securing the additional men.
In about all the cities and towns immediately following the call for troops, Volunteer Aid Societies or Relief Committees were formed at mass meetings, and various sums of money were raised to equip the volunteers or to look after their families.
On April 29th, the Eighth Regiment was ordered to report at the State Camp Grounds at South Framingham, on Thursday, May 5th, at 11 o'clock, A. M. The camp was placed under the command of Col. E. P. Clark, the senior officer.
From April 28th to May 5th, was a continuous round of excitement and bustle in the armories.
The companies were ordered to assemble on Lowell Street near the Union Station in Boston not later than 10.30, May 5th. The scenes about the armories of the various companies on May 5th was most pathetic, as the wives, mothers, or sweethearts of the men gathered for the farewell. In every instance the companies were escorted to the station by local or military bodies, and the demonstrations which took place as the companies marched through the crowded streets had not been duplicated since the call of President Lincoln was answered in 1861.
At Newburyport, the public and parochial schools were given a half holiday, and the streets were decorated with flags and bunting. Company A was escorted to the railroad station by the Mayor and members of the City Government, the Grand Army Post, and members of the Fire Department. The streets were filled with thousands of people, who displayed their enthusiasm by cheers and the waving of flags and handkerchiefs. A field piece was fired at brief intervals and the church bells and steam whistles joined in the chorus of God speeds.
At Amesbury, the streets through which Company B passed, were packed with humanity. Whistles of the factories were blown, bells were rung, and there was a general outburst of enthusiasm. The company was escorted to the train by the Grand Army Veterans and members of the High School Battalion.
At Marblehead, cheering crowds greeted the members of Company C, under the escort of the Grand Army Post and a delegation of citizens. Previous to starting from the Armory, the Selectmen spoke words of farewell to the soldiers.