Lieutenant Colonel W.G.  Rice was born in Union County, S.C., on December 9th, 1831.  He was the fourth son of R.S.  Rice and Agnes B. Rice, nee Morgan, and resided in the upper portion of the county, near Broad River.  His family removed to the lower section of the county, near Goshen Hill, when the son was ten years old, and he attended the schools of the surrounding country until fourteen years of age, when he was sent to the Methodist Conference School, at Cokesbury.  He remained a pupil here until October, 1848, then he entered the South Carolina College, graduating from that institution with the class of ’51.  He engaged in planting for one year at his original home, then began the study of law in the office of Judge T.N.  Dawkins, but did not prosecute the study to graduation.

In March following he married Miss Sarah E. Sims, of Broad River, of which union eleven children were born, seven of whom are living.  The year of his marriage he moved to Laurens County, near Waterloo, where we find him surrounded by “peace and plenty” until the outbreak of the Civil War.  In October, 1861, he raised a volunteer company, and later, together with three other companies from Laurens County, formed a battalion, and tendered the command to George S. James, who had resigned from the United States Army.  Major James assumed command at Camp Hampton in December.  During the early months of 1862 three other companies united with the battalion, and Major James was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, and Captain W.G.  Rice being senior Captain, was made Major.

During the month of April following, a reorganization took place, and Lieutenant Colonel James and Major Rice were re-elected to their former positions by exactly the same vote.  Major Rice being detailed on court martial on James’ Island, did not accompany his battalion to Virginia, but joined it soon thereafter, near Richmond.

The battalion marched with the brigade (Drayton’s) from Gordonsville to second battle of Manassas, but was not actively engaged.  At the battle of Crompton’s Gap, Md., Colonel Rice was severely wounded, Colonel James killed, and the battalion almost torn to pieces.  Colonel Rice was left for dead upon the field, and when he gained consciousness he was within the enemy’s line, and only by exercising the greatest caution, he regained the Confederate camp.  By Colonel Rice’s prudence at this battle in ordering a retreat to a more sheltered position, the battalion was saved from utter destruction, but suffering himself almost a fatal wound.  He was sent across the Potomac, and next day to Shepherdstown.  Returning from leave of absence occasioned by the desperate nature of his wound, he found that he had been promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, and that his battalion and the Fifteenth Regiment made a part of Kershaw’s Brigade, this being in December, 1862.  Colonel Rice led his command through the battles of Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville without incident of special interest (wide sketch of battalion).