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Edmund Rice (general)
Encyclopedia
Edmund Rice was a soldier in the United States Army and a Medal of Honor
recipient who achieved the rank of Brigadier General
.
to Moses Maynard Rice and Eliza (Damon) Rice. In 1856 he entered Norwich University
in Vermont
and remained there until 1858, but was not awarded a degree until 1874. After three years he became an apprentice to Captain Lloyd on the clipper ship, Snow Squall, that left Long Wharf in Boston
in September 1858 headed for Shanghai, China. After ten months at sea Edmund arrived back in New York
in June 1859. He then began working as a surveyor for his father's development interests.
, Fair Oaks
, Savage Station
, Glendale
, and Malvern Hill
. He was promoted to the rank of major on 7 Sep 1862 and fought at Antietam later in September 1862, and the Battle of Fredericksburg
December 11-13 1862. For his actions at the battle of Gettysburg
in repelling Pickett's Charge
, he was presented with the Medal of Honor in 1891. Made a lieutenant colonel 28 Feb 1864, he commanded his regiment in the Rapidan Campaign
, the battles of Bristoe Station
, Blackburn's Ford
, Robinson's Cross Roads, and the Mine Run
. He commanded the 19th in the Battle of the Wilderness
on May 5,–7, 1864 and at the battle of Laurel Hill on May 8, 1864. He was wounded and captured in the assault at the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House
, May 12, 1864. While being transported as a prisoner on May 23, he escaped by cutting the door of a freight car and jumping from it while the train was moving at 15 mph. He reached Union lines, near the Ohio River
, twenty-three days later. He was promoted to colonel on 28 July 1864.
He rejoined his unit in August 1864, and led the regiment in the second battle of Deep Bottom, the battle of Weldon Railroad
, the second battle of Ream's Station
, and the battle of Hatcher's Run
; he was in command of Fort Stedman
and batteries Eleven and Twelve in front of Petersburg, Virginia
. He was present at the surrender of the Confederate States Army
at Appomattox Court House
, and returned to civilian life on June 30, 1865. Altogether, he was wounded three times. Just a year later, he entered the United States Army
and was commissioned a first lieutenant in the 40th Infantry, July, 1866.
, South Carolina
. He commanded the Post of Hilton Head, South Carolina and was also stationed in Raleigh, North Carolina
, Jackson Barracks, Louisiana, Camp Distribution, Washington, D.C.
, and in Mississippi
. After the Civil War, Rice invented several useful military implements, including the Rice Trowel Bayonet, the Rice Stacking Swivel, and a knife entrenching tool. In June 1868 Rice was assigned to the Springfield Armory
to supervise the manufacture of the 'Rice Trowel Bayonet' for trial by the U.S. Army. While stationed there, his wife Annie died of tuberculosis at the age of twenty only 11 months after their daughter was born. Rice's daughter, Corrine, was raised by his mother and siblings.
Indians near Spanish Peaks
, Colorado
, and volunteered for an 1876 campaign against Sioux
Indians in Montana
, in retaliation for the loss of the 7th Cavalry at Little Bighorn
. Buffalo Bill Cody was employed as a scout to aid the company in its trip up the Yellowstone River
in search of hostile Indians. In July 1879 Rice commanded a six-gun battery in Colonel Nelson Miles' expedition against the Sioux, north of the Missouri River
near the Canadian Border. He took part in the engagement of July 17, where their Hotchkiss gun
s were used to disperse the Sioux.
Rice spent the remainder of the Indian Wars of the 1870s and 1880s mostly at Fort Keogh
, Montana
, Fort Totten
, North Dakota
, Fort Rice
, North Dakota, and Fort Leavenworth
, Kansas
. In 1877 he was a military envoy to England and Russia. He was promoted to captain on 10 Mar 1883, and from 1888 through 1891 Edmund Rice was stationed in Texas at Fort McIntosh, Fort Bliss
and finally in command of Fort Hancock
. He was Commandant of the Columbian Guard at the 1893 World's Fair.
In 1881 he married his second wife, Elizabeth Huntington, in Cincinnati, Ohio
. Corrine was then suddenly removed from her home in Massachusetts to live with her father and stepmother in the western frontier. The reunion was less than amicable and she returned to the east coast in 1888, settling in New Jersey with her husband Joseph H. Scharff, who was a grandnephew of secretary of State William H. Seward
.
at Tokyo, Japan from May 1897 through April 1898. At the outbreak of the Spanish American War, he asked to be relieved from diplomatic duty and to be given active field command. In May, 1898 he was appointed inspector general with the rank of lieutenant colonel
on the staff of General Nelson A. Miles
. Later upon the recommendation of Miles, Rice was promoted to colonel
and placed in command of the 6th Massachusetts Volunteer Regiment
that saw active service in both Puerto Rico and Cuba.
In July 1898, Colonel Rice was appointed by President William McKinley
to be the senior colonel of all U.S. Volunteers in the Philippines
. He commanded the 26th Infantry Regiment, a New England regiment, that was involved in skirmishes against the insurgents and Moros. In 1899, he was appointed as Military Governor of the Island of Panay
. In that capacity following recommendations of the First Philippine Commission, he established public schools, took the census, and administered the oath of allegiance to over 60,000 Filipinos. He served until Filipino General Martin Delgado
was appointed first Civil Governor of Panay on April 11, 1901.
He returned to the United States in July 1901 after suffering from fever and heart disease brought on by the harsh tropical climate. The Philippine-American War
was Rice's last war. He served until his retirement in command of the 19th U.S. Infantry at the Presidio of San Francisco
.
. He became a member of the Medal of Honor
Legion, Military Order of the Loyal Legion
, Grand Army of the Republic
, Society of Prisoners of War, Sons of the Revolution, and the Society of the War of 1812
. General Rice served as Grand Marshall of Ceremonies at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition
in 1904, and he spent the summer of 1905 with his daughter Corinne and her husband.
He died "very suddenly" of heart failure "while sitting in a hammock" at Wakefield, Massachusetts
, on July 20, 1906, lay in state in the Hall of Flags of the State House
in Boston
, and was buried in Section 3 of Arlington National Cemetery
. His wife, Elizabeth H. Rice (1849 – 1919) is buried with him. His grave is marked by a large rock with a 3.5 foot bronze sculpture of the Medal of Honor draped over the boulder with the inscription, "The Congress to lieut.-Col. Edmund Rice, 19th Mass. Volunteers, for conspicuous bravery on the 3rd day of the battle of Gettysburg."
was a renowned theater producer in New York City. He was a direct descendant of the early English immigrant, Edmund Rice
as follows:
Rank and organization: Major, 19th Massachusetts Infantry. Place and date: At Gettysburg, Pa., July 3, 1863. Entered service at: Boston, Mass. Birth: Brighton, Mass. Date of issue: October 6, 1891.
Citation:
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
recipient who achieved the rank of Brigadier General
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
.
Early life
Rice was born in Brighton, MassachusettsMassachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
to Moses Maynard Rice and Eliza (Damon) Rice. In 1856 he entered Norwich University
Norwich University
Norwich University is a private university located in Northfield, Vermont . The university was founded in 1819 at Norwich, Vermont, as the American Literary, Scientific and Military Academy. It is the oldest of six Senior Military Colleges, and is recognized by the United States Department of...
in Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
and remained there until 1858, but was not awarded a degree until 1874. After three years he became an apprentice to Captain Lloyd on the clipper ship, Snow Squall, that left Long Wharf in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
in September 1858 headed for Shanghai, China. After ten months at sea Edmund arrived back in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in June 1859. He then began working as a surveyor for his father's development interests.
Civil War
On 22 Aug 1861, Rice joined the 14th Massachusetts Infantry and was commissioned a captain. He was soon transferred to the 19th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment to command Company F. With that unit he was engaged in the Civil War battles of: Ball's Bluff, Siege of YorktownPeninsula Campaign
The Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War was a major Union operation launched in southeastern Virginia from March through July 1862, the first large-scale offensive in the Eastern Theater. The operation, commanded by Maj. Gen. George B...
, Fair Oaks
Battle of Seven Pines
The Battle of Seven Pines, also known as the Battle of Fair Oaks or Fair Oaks Station, took place on May 31 and June 1, 1862, in Henrico County, Virginia, as part of the Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War. It was the culmination of an offensive up the Virginia Peninsula by Union Maj. Gen....
, Savage Station
Seven Days Battles
The Seven Days Battles was a series of six major battles over the seven days from June 25 to July 1, 1862, near Richmond, Virginia during the American Civil War. Confederate General Robert E. Lee drove the invading Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan, away from...
, Glendale
Battle of Glendale
The Battle of Glendale, also known as the Battle of Frayser's Farm, Frazier's Farm, Nelson's Farm, Charles City Crossroads, New Market Road, or Riddell's Shop, took place on June 30, 1862, in Henrico County, Virginia, on the sixth day of the Seven Days Battles of the American Civil War.The...
, and Malvern Hill
Battle of Malvern Hill
The Battle of Malvern Hill, also known as the Battle of Poindexter's Farm, took place on July 1, 1862, in Henrico County, Virginia, on the seventh and last day of the Seven Days Battles of the American Civil War. Gen. Robert E. Lee launched a series of disjointed assaults on the nearly impregnable...
. He was promoted to the rank of major on 7 Sep 1862 and fought at Antietam later in September 1862, and the Battle of Fredericksburg
Battle of Fredericksburg
The Battle of Fredericksburg was fought December 11–15, 1862, in and around Fredericksburg, Virginia, between General Robert E. Lee's Confederate Army of Northern Virginia and the Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside...
December 11-13 1862. For his actions at the battle of Gettysburg
Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg , was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle with the largest number of casualties in the American Civil War, it is often described as the war's turning point. Union Maj. Gen. George Gordon Meade's Army of the Potomac...
in repelling Pickett's Charge
Pickett's Charge
Pickett's Charge was an infantry assault ordered by Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee against Maj. Gen. George G. Meade's Union positions on Cemetery Ridge on July 3, 1863, the last day of the Battle of Gettysburg during the American Civil War. Its futility was predicted by the charge's commander,...
, he was presented with the Medal of Honor in 1891. Made a lieutenant colonel 28 Feb 1864, he commanded his regiment in the Rapidan Campaign
Rapidan, Virginia
Rapidan is a small unincorporated community in Culpeper County, Virginia, United States. Bisected by the Rapidan River, it is home to the Rapidan historic district and dates to the 18th century, when it was a mill town known as Waugh's Ford. It was renamed Rapid Ann Station in 1854 and Rapidan in...
, the battles of Bristoe Station
Battle of Bristoe Station
The Battle of Bristoe Station was fought on October 14, 1863, at Bristoe Station, Virginia, between Union forces under Maj. Gen. Gouverneur K. Warren and Confederate forces under Lt. Gen. A.P. Hill during the Bristoe Campaign of the American Civil War...
, Blackburn's Ford
Blackburn's Ford
Blackburn's Ford was the crossing of Bull Run by Centreville Road between Manassas and Centreville, Virginia, in the United States. It was named after the original owner of the Yorkshire Plantation , Col. Richard Blackburn, formerly of Yorkshire, England...
, Robinson's Cross Roads, and the Mine Run
Battle of Mine Run
The Battle of Mine Run, also known as Payne's Farm, or New Hope Church, or the Mine Run Campaign , was conducted in Orange County, Virginia, in the American Civil War....
. He commanded the 19th in the Battle of the Wilderness
Battle of the Wilderness
The Battle of the Wilderness, fought May 5–7, 1864, was the first battle of Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's 1864 Virginia Overland Campaign against Gen. Robert E. Lee and the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia. Both armies suffered heavy casualties, a harbinger of a bloody war of attrition by...
on May 5,–7, 1864 and at the battle of Laurel Hill on May 8, 1864. He was wounded and captured in the assault at the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House
Battle of Spotsylvania Court House
The Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, sometimes simply referred to as the Battle of Spotsylvania , was the second major battle in Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's 1864 Overland Campaign of the American Civil War. Following the bloody but inconclusive Battle of the Wilderness, Grant's army disengaged...
, May 12, 1864. While being transported as a prisoner on May 23, he escaped by cutting the door of a freight car and jumping from it while the train was moving at 15 mph. He reached Union lines, near the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
, twenty-three days later. He was promoted to colonel on 28 July 1864.
He rejoined his unit in August 1864, and led the regiment in the second battle of Deep Bottom, the battle of Weldon Railroad
Battle of Globe Tavern
The Battle of Globe Tavern, also known as the Second Battle of the Weldon Railroad, fought August 18–21, 1864, south of Petersburg, Virginia, was the second attempt of the Union Army to sever the Weldon Railroad during the Siege of Petersburg of the American Civil War. A Union force under...
, the second battle of Ream's Station
Second Battle of Ream's Station
The Second Battle of Ream's Station was fought during the Siege of Petersburg in the American Civil War on August 25, 1864, in Dinwiddie County, Virginia. A Union force under Maj. Gen. Winfield S. Hancock began destroying part of the Weldon Railroad, which was a vital supply line for Gen. Robert...
, and the battle of Hatcher's Run
Battle of Hatcher's Run
The Battle of Hatcher's Run, also known as Dabney's Mill, Armstrong's Mill, Rowanty Creek, and Vaughn Road, fought February 5–7, 1865, was one in a series of Union offensives during the Siege of Petersburg, aimed at cutting off Confederate supply traffic on Boydton Plank Road and the Weldon...
; he was in command of Fort Stedman
Battle of Fort Stedman
The Battle of Fort Stedman was fought on March 25, 1865, during the final days of the American Civil War. The Union Army fortification in the siege lines around Petersburg, Virginia, was attacked in a pre-dawn Confederate assault by troops led by Maj. Gen. John B. Gordon. The attack was the last...
and batteries Eleven and Twelve in front of Petersburg, Virginia
Petersburg, Virginia
Petersburg is an independent city in Virginia, United States located on the Appomattox River and south of the state capital city of Richmond. The city's population was 32,420 as of 2010, predominantly of African-American ethnicity...
. He was present at the surrender of the Confederate States Army
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
at Appomattox Court House
Appomattox Court House
The Appomattox Courthouse is the current courthouse in Appomattox, Virginia built in 1892. It is located in the middle of the state about three miles northwest of the Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, once known as Clover Hill - home of the original Old Appomattox Court House...
, and returned to civilian life on June 30, 1865. Altogether, he was wounded three times. Just a year later, he entered the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
and was commissioned a first lieutenant in the 40th Infantry, July, 1866.
Reconstruction
Rice married Annie Clark Dutch on August 30, 1866 in CharlestonCharleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
. He commanded the Post of Hilton Head, South Carolina and was also stationed in Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
, Jackson Barracks, Louisiana, Camp Distribution, Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, and in Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
. After the Civil War, Rice invented several useful military implements, including the Rice Trowel Bayonet, the Rice Stacking Swivel, and a knife entrenching tool. In June 1868 Rice was assigned to the Springfield Armory
Springfield Armory
The Springfield Armory, located in the City of Springfield, Massachusetts - from 1777 until its closing in 1968 - was the primary center for the manufacture of U.S. military firearms. After its controversial closing during the Vietnam War, the Springfield Armory was declared Western Massachusetts'...
to supervise the manufacture of the 'Rice Trowel Bayonet' for trial by the U.S. Army. While stationed there, his wife Annie died of tuberculosis at the age of twenty only 11 months after their daughter was born. Rice's daughter, Corrine, was raised by his mother and siblings.
Indian wars
In 1874 Rice commanded an expedition against Ute tribeUte Tribe
The Ute are an American Indian people now living primarily in Utah and Colorado. There are three Ute tribal reservations: Uintah-Ouray in northeastern Utah ; Southern Ute in Colorado ; and Ute Mountain which primarily lies in Colorado, but extends to Utah and New Mexico . The name of the state of...
Indians near Spanish Peaks
Spanish Peaks
The Spanish Peaks are a pair of volcanic mountains located in southwestern Huerfano County, Colorado. The Ute indians named them Huajatolla , meaning "two breasts". The Spanish name translates as "Breasts of the Earth". The two peaks, West Spanish Peak and East Spanish Peak, are the easternmost...
, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, and volunteered for an 1876 campaign against Sioux
Sioux
The Sioux are Native American and First Nations people in North America. The term can refer to any ethnic group within the Great Sioux Nation or any of the nation's many language dialects...
Indians in Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
, in retaliation for the loss of the 7th Cavalry at Little Bighorn
Battle of the Little Bighorn
The Battle of the Little Bighorn, also known as Custer's Last Stand and, by the Indians involved, as the Battle of the Greasy Grass, was an armed engagement between combined forces of Lakota, Northern Cheyenne and Arapaho people against the 7th Cavalry Regiment of the United States Army...
. Buffalo Bill Cody was employed as a scout to aid the company in its trip up the Yellowstone River
Yellowstone River
The Yellowstone River is a tributary of the Missouri River, approximately long, in the western United States. Considered the principal tributary of the upper Missouri, the river and its tributaries drain a wide area stretching from the Rocky Mountains in the vicinity of the Yellowstone National...
in search of hostile Indians. In July 1879 Rice commanded a six-gun battery in Colonel Nelson Miles' expedition against the Sioux, north of the Missouri River
Missouri River
The Missouri River flows through the central United States, and is a tributary of the Mississippi River. It is the longest river in North America and drains the third largest area, though only the thirteenth largest by discharge. The Missouri's watershed encompasses most of the American Great...
near the Canadian Border. He took part in the engagement of July 17, where their Hotchkiss gun
Hotchkiss gun
The Hotchkiss gun can refer to different products of the Hotchkiss arms company starting in the late 19th century. It usually refers to the 1.65-inch light mountain gun; there was also a 3-inch Hotchkiss gun...
s were used to disperse the Sioux.
Rice spent the remainder of the Indian Wars of the 1870s and 1880s mostly at Fort Keogh
Fort Keogh
Fort Keogh is located on the western edge of Miles City, Montana. Occasionally spelled Fort Keough. Originally a military post, today it is a United States Department of Agriculture livestock and range research station. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places...
, Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
, Fort Totten
Fort Totten State Historic Site
-History:Established on July 17, 1867, the fort was first built to watch over the surrounding Indian Reservation after a group of the Sioux tribe moved to the area after 1867. The soldiers were stationed to enforce the peace and guard transportation routes. The fort was decommissioned in 1890...
, North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
, Fort Rice
Fort Rice
Fort Rice was a frontier military fort in the 19th century in what was then Dakota Territory and what is now North Dakota....
, North Dakota, and Fort Leavenworth
Fort Leavenworth
Fort Leavenworth is a United States Army facility located in Leavenworth County, Kansas, immediately north of the city of Leavenworth in the upper northeast portion of the state. It is the oldest active United States Army post west of Washington, D.C. and has been in operation for over 180 years...
, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
. In 1877 he was a military envoy to England and Russia. He was promoted to captain on 10 Mar 1883, and from 1888 through 1891 Edmund Rice was stationed in Texas at Fort McIntosh, Fort Bliss
Fort Bliss
Fort Bliss is a United States Army post in the U.S. states of New Mexico and Texas. With an area of about , it is the Army's second-largest installation behind the adjacent White Sands Missile Range. It is FORSCOM's largest installation, and has the Army's largest Maneuver Area behind the...
and finally in command of Fort Hancock
Fort Hancock, Texas
Fort Hancock is a census-designated place in Hudspeth County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,713 at the 2000 census. Fort Hancock and El Porvenir, Chihuahua area is connected by the Fort Hancock-El Porvenir International Bridge.-Geography:...
. He was Commandant of the Columbian Guard at the 1893 World's Fair.
In 1881 he married his second wife, Elizabeth Huntington, in Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
. Corrine was then suddenly removed from her home in Massachusetts to live with her father and stepmother in the western frontier. The reunion was less than amicable and she returned to the east coast in 1888, settling in New Jersey with her husband Joseph H. Scharff, who was a grandnephew of secretary of State William H. Seward
William H. Seward
William Henry Seward, Sr. was the 12th Governor of New York, United States Senator and the United States Secretary of State under Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson...
.
Spanish-American War and Philippine-American War
Edmund Rice served as U.S. Military AttachéMilitary attaché
A military attaché is a military expert who is attached to a diplomatic mission . This post is normally filled by a high-ranking military officer who retains the commission while serving in an embassy...
at Tokyo, Japan from May 1897 through April 1898. At the outbreak of the Spanish American War, he asked to be relieved from diplomatic duty and to be given active field command. In May, 1898 he was appointed inspector general with the rank of lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
on the staff of General Nelson A. Miles
Nelson A. Miles
Nelson Appleton Miles was a United States soldier who served in the American Civil War, Indian Wars, and the Spanish-American War.-Early life:Miles was born in Westminster, Massachusetts, on his family's farm...
. Later upon the recommendation of Miles, Rice was promoted to colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
and placed in command of the 6th Massachusetts Volunteer Regiment
6th Massachusetts Regiment (Spanish American War)
In early 1898, 6th Massachusetts was reconstituted as a unit of Volunteers to fight in the Spanish-American War, under the command of Colonel Edmund Rice. The unit should not to be confused with the 6th Infantry Regiment of Regulars, which also fought in the war, though in the Philippines and Cuba...
that saw active service in both Puerto Rico and Cuba.
In July 1898, Colonel Rice was appointed by President William McKinley
William McKinley
William McKinley, Jr. was the 25th President of the United States . He is best known for winning fiercely fought elections, while supporting the gold standard and high tariffs; he succeeded in forging a Republican coalition that for the most part dominated national politics until the 1930s...
to be the senior colonel of all U.S. Volunteers in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. He commanded the 26th Infantry Regiment, a New England regiment, that was involved in skirmishes against the insurgents and Moros. In 1899, he was appointed as Military Governor of the Island of Panay
Panay
Panay may refer to*Panay Island*Panay *Panay, Capiz*Panay River*Panay Gulf* USS Panay *Panay incident...
. In that capacity following recommendations of the First Philippine Commission, he established public schools, took the census, and administered the oath of allegiance to over 60,000 Filipinos. He served until Filipino General Martin Delgado
Martin Teofilo Delgado
Martin Teofilo Delgado , was a Visayan military leader during the Philippine Revolution and the Philippine-American War.-Early life & education:...
was appointed first Civil Governor of Panay on April 11, 1901.
He returned to the United States in July 1901 after suffering from fever and heart disease brought on by the harsh tropical climate. The Philippine-American War
Philippine-American War
The Philippine–American War, also known as the Philippine War of Independence or the Philippine Insurrection , was an armed conflict between a group of Filipino revolutionaries and the United States which arose from the struggle of the First Philippine Republic to gain independence following...
was Rice's last war. He served until his retirement in command of the 19th U.S. Infantry at the Presidio of San Francisco
Presidio of San Francisco
The Presidio of San Francisco is a park on the northern tip of the San Francisco Peninsula in San Francisco, California, within the Golden Gate National Recreation Area...
.
Military inventions
Rice was an inventor of military equipment that were in use by military organizations around the world for decades. Some of his inventions include:- Improved Trowel Bayonet, 22 June 1869
- Improved Bayonet Scabbard, 21 May 1972
- Improved Bayonet, 26 March 1875
- Individual Shelter Tent, 29 December 1896
Retirement
Rice retired on August 14, 1903, with the rank of brigadier generalBrigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
. He became a member of the Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
Legion, Military Order of the Loyal Legion
Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States
The Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States, also known by its acronym MOLLUS or simply as the Loyal Legion, is a United States patriotic order, organized April 15, 1865, by officers of the Army, Navy, or Marine Corps of the United States who "had aided in maintaining the honor,...
, Grand Army of the Republic
Grand Army of the Republic
The Grand Army of the Republic was a fraternal organization composed of veterans of the Union Army, US Navy, US Marines and US Revenue Cutter Service who served in the American Civil War. Founded in 1866 in Decatur, Illinois, it was dissolved in 1956 when its last member died...
, Society of Prisoners of War, Sons of the Revolution, and the Society of the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
. General Rice served as Grand Marshall of Ceremonies at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition
Louisiana Purchase Exposition
The Louisiana Purchase Exposition, informally known as the Saint Louis World's Fair, was an international exposition held in St. Louis, Missouri, United States in 1904.- Background :...
in 1904, and he spent the summer of 1905 with his daughter Corinne and her husband.
He died "very suddenly" of heart failure "while sitting in a hammock" at Wakefield, Massachusetts
Wakefield, Massachusetts
-History:-Geography:The diagram above shows what is to the east, west, north, south, and other directions of the center of Wakefield. Towns with population above 25,000 are in bold italics.-Demographics:-Notable residents:...
, on July 20, 1906, lay in state in the Hall of Flags of the State House
Massachusetts State House
The Massachusetts State House, also known as the Massachusetts Statehouse or the "New" State House, is the state capitol and house of government of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is located in Boston in the neighborhood Beacon Hill...
in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, and was buried in Section 3 of Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a great...
. His wife, Elizabeth H. Rice (1849 – 1919) is buried with him. His grave is marked by a large rock with a 3.5 foot bronze sculpture of the Medal of Honor draped over the boulder with the inscription, "The Congress to lieut.-Col. Edmund Rice, 19th Mass. Volunteers, for conspicuous bravery on the 3rd day of the battle of Gettysburg."
Family relations and genealogy
Rice's first cousin Edward Everett RiceEdward E. Rice
Edward Everett Rice was an American musical composer and theater producer active during the late 19th and early 20th Centuries, known primarily for being a pioneer of American musical theater and introducing to Broadway a musical by African-American writers and performers.-Biography:Edward Everett...
was a renowned theater producer in New York City. He was a direct descendant of the early English immigrant, Edmund Rice
Edmund Rice (1638)
Edmund Rice , was an early immigrant to Massachusetts Bay Colony who was born in Suffolk, England, and lived in Stanstead, Suffolk and Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire prior to sailing with his family to America. He arrived in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in summer or fall of 1638, presumed to be first...
as follows:
- Brigadier General Edmund Rice, son of
- Moses Maynard Rice (May 12, 1811 – February 14, 1861), son of
-
-
- Deacon Edmund Rice (August 13, 1785 – January 13, 1860), son of
- Edmund Rice (December 28, 1755 – November 14, 1841), son of
- Edmund Rice (July 10, 1725 – 1796), son of
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- Jason Rice (1692 – February 19, 1730), son of
- Edmund Rice (December 9, 1653 – September 25, 1719), son of
- Deacon Edward Rice (1622 – August 15, 1712), son of
-
- Edmund RiceEdmund Rice (1638)Edmund Rice , was an early immigrant to Massachusetts Bay Colony who was born in Suffolk, England, and lived in Stanstead, Suffolk and Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire prior to sailing with his family to America. He arrived in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in summer or fall of 1638, presumed to be first...
(1594 – May 3, 1663)
- Edmund Rice
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Medal of Honor citation
Citation:
Conspicuous bravery on the third day of the battle on the countercharge against Pickett's division where he fell severely wounded within the enemy's lines.