At the close of the day, the entire party went back to Cincinnati, satisfied that the report was greatly exaggerated by the newspaper which had published the story, as there was but little typhoid among the men.
On September 12th, Mayor Chase of Haverhill, also visited the camp, being the guest of Company F of that city.
The troops quartered in and about Lexington were the Eighth Massachusetts, Twelfth New York, Twenty-First Kansas, One Hundred and Sixtieth Indiana, Third Kentucky, Fourth Kentucky, Third Mississippi, Second Missouri, Seventh United States Immunes, colored, Eighth United States Immunes, colored. On September 26th, the Twenty-First Kansas left for Fort Leavenworth, to be mustered out of the service, and upon the day following their place was taken by the First Territorial Regiment. This regiment was enlisted from the territories of New Mexico, Arizona, Oklahoma, and Indian Territory, and was composed of ranchmen, cowboys, and some Indians. Their initial appearance in the camp of the Eighth was explosive. As soon as a camp site had been assigned them, and they were dismissed, they started on a round of visits to the various camps. The visit was made upon the run, accompanied by a continuous yelling and whooping. This whirlwind of noise passed through every company street in the New York and Massachusetts regiments without stopping, and disappeared to repeat the performance in the camps of other regiments. The most orderly member of the command was a large brown bear, which did duty as regimental mascot.
Some amusement was furnished one evening as the men assembled for parade, by a barouche containing four ladies of the town, driven by a stately colored man. They disappeared in the camp of the Twelfth New York, but shortly returned with the large letters I. C., in chalk on the back of the carriage.
The camp site of the Eighth had formerly been cultivated, but during the summer the land had run to weeds. These were waist high until mowed. During one of the early changes of guard, the old guard was marched by the Lieutenant through some of these weeds, towards the regimental parade, where they were to be dismissed. Suddenly the guard broke ranks, and each man rushed for his quarters. The Lieutenant stopped in amazement and shouted to his men, "What in blank are you running for"? Before he got an answer, a swarm of hornets attached themselves to his person, and he was soon running as fast as any member of his guard.
The men were encouraged to engage in sports as a recreation. At one time, foot ball was taken up in a mild way, but after the Kentucky State College defeated Company H by a score of 59 to 0, interest in this strenuous sport died out.
Lexington was well supplied with entertainment, and on several occasions enlisted men attended the theatre and circus in a body.
Two evenings were known at the Opera House as Eighth Regiment nights, when the drum corps took part in the performance, and a large delegation from the regiment was represented in the audience.
The drum corps was well received throughout the south, and their rendering of Dixie was always greeted with Southern yells of approval.
On one occasion Company L was entertained at the home of Mrs. Kate Breen, where Lieutenant Breen, Inspector of Rifle Practice of the Ninth Massachusetts Infantry, was visiting. He acted as host, and left with the men a pleasant memory of his hospitality.