On the 7th, Rev. George D. Sanders, the Chaplain, resigned. The Rev. Milo H. Gates of Ipswich, was appointed to fill this vacancy November 11th, but before being mustered in, was thrown from a horse, and owing to his injuries was unable to pass the physical examination. Chaplain Sanders was subsequently re-appointed and joined the regiment in Cuba.
On October 24th, Lieutenant Francis H. Downey of Company I, died at the St. Joseph's Hospital in Lexington, of pneumonia. Funeral services were held over his remains in the city, and were attended by the officers of the regiment, and by Companies D and I. He was the only officer in the command who died during the service.
On the 28th, Lieutenant-Colonel Edwin W. M. Bailey resigned, and Major William Stopford was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel. The vacancy in majority was not filled, as the United States allowed at this time but two majors to a regiment. Colonel Stopford continued to command the First Battalion. Owing to the place of his promotion, he became known in Lexington society as the real Kentucky Colonel.
Lieutenant Stephen N. Bond of Company K, resigned on October 28th.
During the temporary absence of the regimental surgeon, Captain Rutherford of the Second Missouri, was assigned and remained on duty with the regiment several weeks.
After the Third Division had recovered its health, the proposition to make a practice march was again discussed. Lieutenant Francisco A. DeSousa of Company E, with a detail from the regiment, was sent over the road to Frankford, Kentucky, to locate camps and select a suitable place for rifle practice. It was the intention to have each regiment march to Frankford and spend a week at target practice. Owing to the lateness of the season and the approach of cold weather, the undertaking was abandoned.
On October 10th, General Waites, who was about to retire from the command of the Second Brigade, tendered the officers a reception at his quarters. Soon after the officers of the Eighth had returned to their camp, Colonel Pew received directions through a staff officer to issue ball ammunition, and hold his men in readiness to march. The order was immediately obeyed. No explanation was offered, and the regiment awaited developments.
In the quiet night the measured beat of marching was heard along the Bryan Pike, and the Regimental Guard reported the One Hundred and Sixtieth Indiana going into Lexington to quell a riot. A member of the Third Kentucky on provost duty in the city, had shot and killed a soldier of the Twelfth New York, who refused to halt when ordered. The sentinel was arrested pending an inquiry.
A rumor spread through the camp that a number of the Twelfth New York and the First Territorial Regiments had started for the city to lynch this sentinel. There was more or less disturbance at the Montrose station by a mob of excited soldiers, and several shots were fired.
The Eighth was ordered to deploy one battalion as skirmishers across the Bryan Pike, and railroad track, and stop all soldiers. The other two battalions were to remain under arms in camp as a reserve. Colonel Stopford executed this deployment with the First Battalion. Nothing happened, and he was withdrawn before morning. The situation in the city was easily controlled by the provost guard with the help of the One Hundred and Sixtieth Indiana.