The war strength of a company in the United States service was 106 enlisted men. Under the first call, Massachusetts was required to furnish three batteries of Heavy Artillery. Influence was at once brought to bear upon the authorities at Washington to accept the First Heavy Artillery as a Regiment of twelve batteries. To accomplish this and keep within the quota allowed Massachusetts, infantry companies were cut down to 74 men. To this extent the four infantry regiments which were raised for foreign service, were crippled to increase the strength of the coast guard.
Upon the second call for volunteers, it was decided to raise the infantry companies to full war strength of 106 men, and about the first of June the Eighth was ordered to send a recruiting detail of three officers and twelve men to Massachusetts for recruiting purposes. The officers in charge of this detail were Major William Stopford, Captain Herbert W. Whitten of Company M, and Lieutenant Henry W. French of Company K. The detail left Chattanooga on June 8th. The first batch of new recruits arrived at Chickamauga on June 25th, from which time until after the 4th of July, recruits arrived daily.
The average recruit who responds to the first call for volunteers, is usually an all around better man than the average recruit obtained upon subsequent calls. The interference with the original Government plan of raising four full regiments, not only weakened the regiment at first, but later lowered its morale by introducing a poorer class of men than could have been obtained if the companies had recruited to a full strength at their home stations under the first stimulus of war.
On June 12th the regiment had its first experience with a Southern rain storm. After a long dry spell, the heavens opened, and the floods descended. Innocent looking gullies became rushing brooks, which soon overflowed their banks and inundated many canvas homes. After the storm, a system of drainage was inaugurated, and the men were set to work on a main drain and connecting trenches, constructed on lines taught by experience.
In the wake of the storm, and as it were, a silver lining to the clouds, came Paymaster James C. Barr of the Eighth Massachusetts Infantry, M. V. M., with $17,500. from the State of Massachusetts in payment of the men for the time they had served at the Framingham camp. This was the first pay the regiment received, and the paymaster was welcomed like flowers in the spring. He was met at the railroad station by an armed party and escorted to camp, where his little fortune was safely guarded until distributed in payment to the men.
On June 22nd Captain Walter H. Nichols of Company H resigned, making the first break among the officers of the regiment.
On June 26th the camp was stirred to excitement by reason of an order transferring the regiment to the First Brigade, First Division, First Army Corps. The First Brigade was composed of the Eighth Massachusetts, Second Wisconsin, and Fifth Illinois Regiments, and was commanded by General Oswald Ernst. The division was commanded by General J. M. Wilson. The Brigade was expected to move in a few days to Newport News, where it was to take transports for Santiago. Camp took on new life and excitement. All superfluous baggage was packed for storage or home shipment. The excitement lasted a number of days, but the regiment was doomed to disappointment, as the order was countermanded and the regiment restored to its former place in the Third Division.
July 4th was observed as a holiday. Congressman William H. Moody of the Sixth Massachusetts District, who was spending a few days in camp, delivered a patriotic address. A program of sports had been arranged for the day, but the arrival of the U. S. Paymaster caused the games to be called off. About $45,000 was paid to the regiment, the men being paid from May 5th to June 30th. Many of the men took advantage of the arrival of the money for a trip to Chattanooga, where they passed the remainder of the day visiting the city or Lookout Mountain. In the evening there was a mammoth bonfire in camp, red fire was burned, and the drum corps gave a concert of patriotic airs, in celebration of the victory of Sampson over the fleet of Cevera off Santiago, the news of which was received that afternoon.
As the summer advanced, and the heat increased, reveille was sounded at 4.30 and drills were held at a correspondingly early hour, so that by the middle of the morning, all drills were over.
Soon after arriving in camp, the brigade was practiced in extended order and the use of cover. This drill was known to the men as "snake drill." Major Parker, of the Twelfth New York, a Regular Army officer, acted as instructor at first. Before many weeks the regiment became proficient in advancing on a position, and at the same time taking advantage of natural cover. On several occasions the regiment gave exhibitions for the benefit of officers of other organizations.