Born in Massachusetts on December 2, 1841. At age 19 he was commissioned Captain, first with the 14th Massachusetts Infantry, remaining until the unit was disbanded in 1861. He then changed regiments and was engaged in many notable battles of the Civil War, thrice wounded. In July 1863 he was appointed Lieutenant Colonel of the 19th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry.
Following the war engaged in military inventions, such as the Rive Trowel and Rice Stacking Swivel and a knife entrenching tool. In 1874 took command of an expedition against Ute Indians near Spanish Peaks, Colorado, and in 1876 was in a campaign against Sioux Indians in Montana. Was a member of the Medal of Honor Legion, Military Order of the Loyal Legion, Grand Army of the Republic, Society of Prisoners of War, Society of Sons of the American Revolution, the Society of the War of 1812.
He retired from the Army in 1903 as a Brigadier General.
He died at Boston, Massachusetts, on July 20, 1906 and was buried in Section 3 of Arlington National Cemetery. His wife, Elizabeth H. Rice (1849-1919) is buried with him.
RICE, EDMUND
Rank and organization: Major, 19th Massachusetts Infantry. Place and date: At Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, 3 July 1863. Entered service at: Boston, Mass. Birth: Brighton, Massachusetts. Date of issue: 6 October 1891.
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.
Michael Robert Patterson was born in Arlington and is the son of a former officer of the US Army. So it was no wonder that sooner or later his interests drew him to American history and especially to American military history. Many of his articles can be found on renowned portals like the New York Times, Washingtonpost or Wikipedia.
Reviewed by: Michael Howard