Harry Endicott Webber - Twelve Months with the Eighth Massachusetts Infantry in the Service of the United States

J. P. Sanger, Major General, U. S. A., Retired.

Between February 15th, when the U. S. S. Maine was destroyed in the harbor of Havana, and March 28th, 1898, when Congress received the report of the Naval Board of Inquiry, declaring the Maine to have been destroyed by an exterior explosion, public opinion in the United States was crystalizing in favor of declaring war with Spain and recognizing the independence of Cuba.

On March 16th a meeting of the officers of the Eighth Regiment Infantry, M. V. M., was held in the Headquarters of the regiment at Salem. The officers, with one exception, authorized the Colonel to tender their services as part of any quota Massachusetts might be called upon to furnish. Company commanders were directed to interview each member of their companies and report to the Adjutant the number of men ready to volunteer. The reports of the various company commanders, show that by April 1st, all but eleven men had authorized the Colonel to tender their services. It is said that the Eighth was the first National Guard Regiment in the country ready, after a careful canvass of its officers and men, to volunteer.

On March 29th resolutions declaring war with Spain were introduced into both houses of Congress. Congress had appropriated $50,000,000 for national defence, and the Legislature of Massachusetts followed with an appropriation of $500,000 to equip troops.

War was coming and troops were to be needed. This much was certain, but no one could tell how the necessary troops would be raised. It was rumored that the military advisors of the government were divided in their councils, and that some favored the retention of the Militia for local defence, and the organization of new regiments of volunteers to fill the expected call. For weeks the Adjutant was ready to tender the services of the Eighth as a militia, or volunteer regiment, whichever way the call came. The tension was so great that on April 22nd the following letter was sent to the Governor:—

"Headquarters Eighth Regiment Infantry. Massachusetts Volunteer Militia, Salem, Mass., April 22, 1898.

Maj. Gen. Samuel Dalton,

Adjutant General, State of Massachusetts,

State House, Boston, Mass.

Sir:—

I have the honor to represent to the Commander-in-Chief that the officers and men of the Eighth Regiment are willing and anxious to respond to any call for volunteers, and I hereby tender 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.

Very respectfully, Your obedient servant, William A. Pew, Jr. Colonel."

The above letter was acknowledged by the following communication:—

"Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Executive Department, Boston, Mass, April 22, 1898.

Col. William A. Pew, Jr.,

Headquarters Eighth Regiment Infantry, M. V. M.,

Salem, Mass.

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.

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.

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