Civil War Union Brigadier General. Born in Cattaraugus County, New York, as a boy he migrated with his family to Allegheny City, Pennsylvania, and Belmont, Ohio. He then attended Franklin College at Athens, Ohio, and graduated from Union College at Schenectady, New York, in 1849. He continued law studies at Union in 1850, moved to Oskaloosa, Iowa, in 1851, and maintained a private law practice there until elected county attorney in 1853. In 1855 he was joined in Oskaloosa by his younger brother, future Brigadier General Elliott W. Rice. Elected state attorney general in 1856 and 1858, he remained a Unionist partisan of Governor Samuel J. Kirkwood through the outset of the Civil War. He organized the 33rd Iowa Infantry in Oskaloosa in summer and early autumn 1862. After his commission as Colonel of the 33rd, on August 10, 1862, his regiment was accepted for Federal service on October 1, 1862. He and the 33rd went on duty in St. Louis, Missouri, remaining there into December. Assigned to garrison duty in Helena, Arkansas, in January 1863, he participated in the Yazoo Pass Expedition in February and April of that year. He fought in the July battle at Helena, won promotion to Brigadier General on August 4, 1863, and, under Major General Frederick Steele, joined in the occupation of Little Rock, Arkansas, in September. In spring 1864 he supported Major General Nathaniel P. Banks's Red River Campaign by marching south from Little Rock, intending to join him near Shreveport, Louisiana. He served with Steele's force, in Brigadier General Frederick Salomon's 3rd Division, commanding a brigade composed of the 33rd and 29th Iowa, the 50th Indiana, and the 9th Wisconsin. Steele failed to meet Banks, and on the retreat to Little Rock, he served in rearguard action. At the Battle of Jenkins' Ferry, Arkansas, on April 30, 1864, while rushing to organize resistance on the Union left, he was badly wounded in the right ankle when a bullet struck his spur, driving fragments of it through his boot. Sent home to Oskaloosa, he died in surgery.
Civil War Union Brigadier General. Born in Cattaraugus County, New York, as a boy he migrated with his family to Allegheny City, Pennsylvania, and Belmont, Ohio. He then attended Franklin College at Athens, Ohio, and graduated from Union College at Schenectady, New York, in 1849. He continued law studies at Union in 1850, moved to Oskaloosa, Iowa, in 1851, and maintained a private law practice there until elected county attorney in 1853. In 1855 he was joined in Oskaloosa by his younger brother, future Brigadier General Elliott W. Rice. Elected state attorney general in 1856 and 1858, he remained a Unionist partisan of Governor Samuel J. Kirkwood through the outset of the Civil War. He organized the 33rd Iowa Infantry in Oskaloosa in summer and early autumn 1862. After his commission as Colonel of the 33rd, on August 10, 1862, his regiment was accepted for Federal service on October 1, 1862. He and the 33rd went on duty in St. Louis, Missouri, remaining there into December. Assigned to garrison duty in Helena, Arkansas, in January 1863, he participated in the Yazoo Pass Expedition in February and April of that year. He fought in the July battle at Helena, won promotion to Brigadier General on August 4, 1863, and, under Major General Frederick Steele, joined in the occupation of Little Rock, Arkansas, in September. In spring 1864 he supported Major General Nathaniel P. Banks's Red River Campaign by marching south from Little Rock, intending to join him near Shreveport, Louisiana. He served with Steele's force, in Brigadier General Frederick Salomon's 3rd Division, commanding a brigade composed of the 33rd and 29th Iowa, the 50th Indiana, and the 9th Wisconsin. Steele failed to meet Banks, and on the retreat to Little Rock, he served in rearguard action. At the Battle of Jenkins' Ferry, Arkansas, on April 30, 1864, while rushing to organize resistance on the Union left, he was badly wounded in the right ankle when a bullet struck his spur, driving fragments of it through his boot. Sent home to Oskaloosa, he died in surgery.
Bio by: Ugaalltheway
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