General Elliot W. Rice & "Suger Bill."



Colonel Elliot W. Rice.
7th., Iowa Infantry



Elliot W. Rice.

Birth: Nov. 16, 1835

Death: Jun. 22, 1887

Civil War Union Brigadier General. He was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, but his family moved to Belmont, Ohio, in 1836, where he grew up. He attended school in Wheeling, western Virginia, and Franklin College at Athens, Ohio, then traveled to Oskaloosa, Iowa, in 1855 to study law under his brother, Samuel A. Rice, graduating from the University of Albany Law School in 1858. He practiced law in Oskaloosa with his brother until joining the 7th Iowa Infantry as a Corporal on July 24, 1861. Promoted to Major on August 30th of that same year, and attached to the District of Cairo, he fought at the Battle of Belmont in November, assumed regimental command on the death and wounding of his superiors, then received a bullet wound to the lower extremities. While recuperating he took a minor part in the campaigns for Forts Henry and Donelson, then held regimental command during the Battle of Shiloh, receiving promotion to Colonel. He next joined the Corinth, Mississippi garrison and fought in the October 1862 Battle of Corinth.

He commanded the posts at Bethel and La Grange, Tenneessee, leading the 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, XVI Corps, without commensurate rank. At the head of his brigade he saw action at Resaca, New Hope Church, and Kennesaw Mountain, Georgia. He received promotion to Brigadier General on June 22, 1864, and briefly led the 2nd Division. He weathered the Siege of Atlanta, and then transferred to the XV Corps, were he served through the March to the Sea and the Carolinas Campaign. Brevetted Major General for war service on March 13, 1865, he mustered out of Federal service on August 24th, having been wounded 7 times in 4 years. He practiced law in Washington D.C., until retiring in poor health to his sister's home in Sioux City, Iowa, in 1885, where he died.

Burial: Floyd Cemetery, Sioux City, Woodbury County, Iowa.



"Sugar Bill"
Was a Saffron and son  to Senegambia.
He was chosen to cook for Colonel Rice's horses.
He claimed to be a shurnuh cook.