[This is not claimed to be a perfect history, but it is believed to be as perfect a record as can be secured at this late date. When not otherwise indicated, the person is supposed to have been mustered out with his regiment.]
The immediate cause for the raising of Company H was the call of President Lincoln for three hundred thousand men to put down the Rebellion, and the incentive was a bounty of two hundred dollars offered to every man who enlisted. The formation of a company from the towns of Rehoboth, Somerset, Dighton, and Swansea, was a happy thought, as the quota called for from these four towns would make a full company. Meetings were held in each of these places and recruiting offices were opened. Nathaniel B. Horton was the recruiting officer for Rehoboth, Noah Chase for Dighton, William P. Hood for Somerset, and Allen Mason for Swansea. These four officers with their towns seemed to vie with each other in raising the required number, and so great was the enthusiasm that within a very short time the company was full. Then came the question of a captain and two lieutenants. Somerset having the largest number, was supposed to have the first choice to the captaincy, and the other three towns were to select the lieutenants and non-commissioned officers according to their best judgment. A Mr. Davis, of Somerset, was mentioned for captain, and it was graciously accorded to him, while the first lieutenancy was accorded to Otis A. Baker, of Rehoboth; but on the day of organization Mr. Davis declined his position and the way was left clear for the election of Otis A. Baker. No records can now be found giving the date of election of officers. The best that can be learned is that it was held on a very hot Saturday afternoon in the old Hornbine Church in Southeast Rehoboth, about the last of August or the first of September, 1862. Otis A. Baker was unanimously elected captain; Robert Crossman, 2d, of Dighton, first lieutenant; and Joseph Gibbs, of Somerset, second lieutenant. Swansea was accorded her full share of the non-commissioned officers.
Capt. OTIS A. BAKER.
The choice of Captain Baker was a happy one. His father, Ira S. Baker, was one of the foremost men of Rehoboth, having held the first offices of the town for years. He was also a member of the House of Representatives in Boston. After graduating from the public schools of Rehoboth Captain Baker learned the trade of a mason, in which business he was very successful; notwithstanding, when the war broke out he left his remunerative business in Providence, R. I., and enlisted in Company A, First Rhode Island Detached Militia, for three months. He served his full term, being engaged with his regiment at the battle of Bull Run, where he received a wound in his arm. Having been discharged and having recovered from his wound, he re-enlisted as first sergeant in Company A, Fourth Rhode Island Infantry, September, 1861, and was promoted to second lieutenant, Nov. 20, 1861. He was with his regiment in the well remembered Burnside Expedition, taking part in the capture of Roanoke Island and the battle of Newbern, and remaining with his regiment until Aug. 11, 1862, when he resigned his commission. The cause of his resignation, together with over half of the commissioned officers of the regiment, was the action of Governor Sprague in taking an officer from another regiment and giving him a place over them as one of the field officers.
Soon after his arrival home I met Lieutenant Baker in Providence and invited him to go with Company H as first lieutenant, it being understood then that the captaincy was settled; his answer was that he intended to see the war through and was ready for anything that might offer. Lieutenant Baker at that time was twenty-four years old; he was indeed a giant, standing six feet four in his stockings, straight as an arrow, well versed in military tactics; and, although the youngest of the captains in the Third Regiment, his ability as officer was never questioned, nor had the company any reason to regret its choice of him as their captain. Resolute by nature, kind in heart, he was a man who did things; always doing his duty regardless of consequences to himself. He exacted from every man of his company a strict and impartial obedience to himself and to all officers with whom they were to render duty. At the battle of Kinston, N. C., as we were formed into line of battle, expecting momentarily to be ordered to the front to take a more active part, Captain Baker made this little speech, “In a few moments we shall be where we shall see more active and more dangerous work, but no matter what we may meet let not a man of you run until I run, but when you see me run then let every man run like the devil.” Suffice it to say, no man was seen running.
Lieutenant Crossman was highly esteemed by the whole company. His quiet, unassuming manner caused every one to love him and to confide in him; he was a true man and a true soldier. He demonstrated his patriotism by re-enlisting in the Fifty-eighth Regiment, in which he was elected captain, and was with his company at the battle of Cold Harbor, where he was wounded terribly in the shoulder; an injury from which he never recovered. There can be little doubt that this shortened his life many years. He died at Taunton, July 25, 1876.
Lieutenant Gibbs was a whole-hearted, first-class man, against whom there was never heard a word of censure, nor was there one spot on his splendid character. Being detached early for signal service, he was with us but a short time, almost all of his term of nine months being spent in Charleston Harbor, S. C., where he rendered very satisfactory service to his commanding officer.
But a few days elapsed after our organization before we were ordered to go into camp at Lakeville, Mass. We were to meet at Somerset village, from which place we were to be conveyed across the river in rowboats to take the cars for camp. Arriving there late in the afternoon, we found the most of the regiment in barracks, and were assigned our place among the other companies for the night. Such a night. The boys were full of sport and determined to have a good time, which they did to their heart’s content. It is safe to say no one slept that night within a radius of a quarter of a mile. There was every kind of a noise imaginable, and some that were never heard before nor since. Speeches were made, songs sung, hens cackling, roosters crowing, turkeys gobbling, ducks quacking, pigs squealing and bulls bellowing; but all this was due to leaving home, and still having home with us. What could be expected of a hundred men just leaving home, and as yet having no military restraint put on them? The following night some of us were put on guard, with a four-foot cord stick as our weapon of defense; what great things we declared we would do should the Rebs come down on us suddenly; but we were getting ready for the hard and dangerous work before us, upon which we were soon to enter.
In a few days the mustering officer came and we were inspected and mustered into the service of Uncle Sam. Some of our men were beyond the forty-five year limit, but all passed except one, Samuel H. Vial, who had in the company a son George, and who upon being asked his age gave it honestly as forty-nine. Of course he was rejected. The oldest man in the company was Peleg Swift of Somerset, a giant in size and strength, but gray-haired. Upon being asked his age, he replied, “Forty-four.” “Is that all?” asked the mustering officer. “That is what my good mother called me,” replied Peleg. He was accepted, although fourteen years beyond the law limit. No better soldier ever carried a musket, and no one ever knew of his dropping out on the tiresome marches. He was killed at Petersburg by a rebel shell.