Civil War Soldiers Record Database

Edwin A. Rice joined the WI 15th Infantry, Company C. The men of the company called themselves the “Norway Bear Hunters,” but they were also known as the Color Company because the regimental Color Guard was attached to their company.

The army listed him as living in Waterford, Racine County, WI, born in Chautauqua, NY, age 44, married, and a carpenter. Edwin married Mary S. Cory in 1862 before he joined the war. He had hazel eyes, dark hair, dark complexion, and 5’8”. Rice enlisted for three years on January 4, 1864 at Waterford and mustered at Madison, WI, on February 17, 1864 as a Private (Menig). He joined Company C at Strawberry Plains, VA on March 31, 1864. He transferred to Company H at Whiteside, TN on January 1, 1865; temporarily assigned to the 24th Infantry; the transferred to K Company of the 13th Infantry on June 18, 1865.

By 1880, Edwin and Mary had four children: James B., Julia M., Mary A., and Louis C. Edwin died in 1904 in Franklin County, KS.

Sources: Series 1200: Records of Civil War Regiments, 1861-1900, Wisconsin Adjutant General’s Office, box 76-13; Regimental muster and descriptive rolls, 1861-1865, Wisconsin Adjutant General’s Office, vol.20, p.48; Det Femtende Regiment, Wisconsin Frivillige [The Fifteenth Regiment, Wisconsin Volunteers], Ole A. Buslett (Decorah, IA, 1894), p.428; 1880 Census, Roll: 381, Family History Film: 1254381, Page: 50D, Enumeration District: 081, Image: 0549; 1900 Census, Roll: 480, Page: 7B, Enumeration District: 0080, FHL microfilm: 1240480; findagrave.com.