Mezue ahịrịokwu na-esonụ: N'abalị iri abụọ na abụọ n'ọnwa Ọgọstụ n'afọ 1861, Rice sonyeere ndị 14th Massachusetts Infantry ma nye ya ọrụ dịka onye isi. N'oge na-adịghị anya, a kpọfere ya na ndị agha nke 19 nke Massachusetts iji nye iwu maka ụlọ ọrụ F. Ya na ndị otu ahụ, ọ na-alụ ọgụ Agha Obodo nke: Ball's Bluff, Siege nke Yorktown,
Fair Oaks, Savage Station, Glendale, na Malvern Hill. E buliri ya n'ọkwa nke onye isi na 7 Sep 1862 ma lụọ ọgụ na Antietam mgbe e mesịrị na Septemba 1862, na Agha nke Fredericksburg Disemba 11-13, 1862. Maka ihe o mere n'agha nke Gettysburg n'igbochi Pickett's Charge, e nyere ya ihe nrite nke nsọpụrụ na 1891. N'ịbụ onye e mere lieutenant colonel na 28 Feb 1864, o duziri ndị agha ya na Mgbasa Ozi Rapidan, agha nke Bristoe Station, Blackburn's Ford, Robinson's Cross Roads, na Mine Run. O duziri ndị agha nke 19 na Agha nke Ọzara na Mee 5<unk>7, 1864 na agha nke Laurel Hill na Mee 8, 1864. E merụrụ ya ahụ ma jide ya n'agha ahụ a lụrụ n'ụlọikpe Spotsylvania, na Mee 12, 1864. Mgbe a na-ebugharị ya dị ka onye mkpọrọ na May 23, ọ gbapụrụ site n'ịkụpụ ọnụ ụzọ nke ụgbọ ibu ma si na ya wụpụ mgbe ụgbọ oloko ahụ na-aga 15 mph. O ruru n'ókèala ndị Union, na nso Osimiri Ohio, ụbọchị iri abụọ na atọ ka e mesịrị. E buliri ya n'ọkwa Colonel na 28 Julaị 1864.