James Montgomery Rice

Rice was born in Monmouth, Illinois, to George and Caroline (née Montgomery) Rice. He was named after his second great-grandfather, William Montgomery, whose vaunted military and political service was a major influence on his life.

Following the First Battle of Bull Run, Rice left Monmouth College to enlist in the 10th Illinois Infantry Regiment. After three years of continuous service, which covered 1,000 marched miles and 13 battles, he was discharged on September 18, 1864.

Rice completed a bachelor's degree at the University of Michigan followed by a Juris Doctor at Michigan Law School. Following graduation, he went into practice with David McCulloch and was admitted to the Supreme Court of Illinois in 1867, followed by the Supreme Court of the United States in 1890. He practiced law for 31 years.

{{Infobox military person

| honorific_suffix = Colonel

| image = James Montgomery Rice-1890.jpg

| caption = 1890

| branch = *10th Infantry, Union Army

• National Blues, Illinois National Guard

| serviceyears = *1861–1864

• 1875–1896

| rank = Colonel

| commands = Second Brigade

| battles = 1877 St. Louis Strike

American Civil War

• Battle of Island Ten
• Siege of Corinth
• Battle of Chickamauga
• Wheeler's Raid
• Battle of Missionary Ridge

Atlanta Campaign

• Battle of Rocky Face Ridge
• Battle of Resaca
• Battle of Dallas
• Battle of Marietta
• Battle of Kennesaw Mountain
• Battle of Peachtree Creek
• Battle of Utoy Creek
• Battle of Jonesborough

}}

In 1875, Rice re-enlisted in the National Blues of the Illinois Militia.{{Cite book|title=Biannual Report of the Adjutant-General of Illinois for 1875–1876|last=Lusk|first=D.W.|publisher=State Printer and Binder|year=1877|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=949LAQAAMAAJ&dq=%22national+blues%22+++%22james+m+rice%22&pg=PA1|pages=14}} Recalling his experience in the American Civil War, Rice was concerned with the organizational structure, lack of standardization in leader qualifications and professional development, low levels of individual and unit training and readiness, and inadequate uniforms and equipment. He began advocating for federal involvement and became the first chairman of the Committee on Legislation of the National Guard Association of Illinois in 1883. He authored dozens of articles over the ensuing years including most notably:

• 1888, Military Education and the Volunteer Militia{{Cite journal |last=Rice |first=James |date=October 1888 |title=Military Education and the Volunteer Militia |journal=The Century Magazine |volume=36 |pages=939–943}}
• 1894, The National Guard—What It is and Its Use{{Cite journal |last=Rice |first=James |date=September 1894 |title=The National Guard — What It is and Its Use |journal=Journal of the Military Service Institution |volume=15 |pages=909–936}}
• 1896, The Defense of our Frontier{{Cite journal |last=Rice |first=James |date=March 1896 |title=The Defense of our Frontier |journal=Journal of the Military Service Institution |volume=18 |pages=298–320}}
• 1896, The Present Congress and the National Guard{{Cite journal |last=Rice |first=James |date=September 1896 |title=The Present Congress and the National Guard |journal=Journal of the Military Service Institution |volume=16 |pages=452–479}}
• Notable excerpt: “The National Guard, if rightly fostered and improved, will be a very efficient and economical force to be used for almost any purpose and at any place where a force may be needed by either the state or the nation.”
• 1901, Field Service Instruction and the National Guard Officer{{Cite journal |last=Rice |first=James |date=November 1901 |title=Field Service Instruction and the National Guard Officer |journal=Journal of the Military Service Institution |volume=29 |pages=436–442}}
• 1904, The New National Guard{{Cite journal |last=Rice |first=James |date=May 1904 |title=The New National Guard |journal=Journal of the Military Service Institution |volume=35 |pages=467–475}}

His articles were circulated nationwide and caught the attention of the National Guard Association of the United States. He joined the executive staff in 1890 alongside Charles Dick who would become president in 1902 and sponsor the Militia Act of 1903, officially establishing the United States National Guard.

In 1892, Rice authored the [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0008BKG82/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_ep_dp_VYYsAbQJJNG0J Range Manual and Score Record]{{Cite book |last=Rice |first=James |title=Range manual and Score record |publisher=Springfield Ill. The H.W. Rokker Printing House |year=1892 |location=Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library General Collection}} and [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004BMWZXI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_ep_dp_FZYsAbRMFCH6F Small Arms Practice for National Guard],{{Cite book |last=Rice |first=James |title=Small arms practice for the National Guard, a modification of Blunt's small arms firing regulations. Adapted to the use and requirements of the National Guard in the United States. |publisher=Springfield Ill. The H.W. Rokker Printing House |year=1892 |location=Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library General Collection}} which are adopted as doctrine nationwide.

During the golden age of fraternalism, Rice assisted in organizing the Grand Army of the Republic Bryner Post #67 in Peoria, Illinois. In 1879 he was nominated the first adjutant and served on the national staff from 1894 to 1896. In 1896 his mother, Caroline, established the Peoria chapter Daughters of the American Revolution, honoring her great-grandfather William Montgomery.{{Cite book|title=Peoria City and County Illinois, Volume 1|last=Rice|first=James Montgomery|publisher=S.J. Clarke Publishing Company|year=1912|url=https://archive.org/details/peoriacitycountyi01rice|pages=575 (434)}}

In 1897, Rice was endorsed by the Illinois Republican Party and National Guard Association of the United States for United States Assistant Secretary of War, however George de Rue Meiklejohn won the nomination.

In 1901, Rice authored the "Peoria Overture Plan" which profoundly effected corruption and reorganization of the Presbyterian Church.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/7376295|title=Peoria Man Will Try His Overture on State Legislature|date=August 1, 1901|work=The Daily Review (Decatur, Illinois)}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rice, James Montgomery}}

Category:1842 births

Category:1912 deaths

Category:People from Monmouth, Illinois

Category:People of Illinois in the American Civil War

Category:Monmouth College alumni

Category:University of Michigan alumni

Category:Illinois National Guard personnel

Category:Illinois lawyers

Category:Republican Party members of the Illinois House of Representatives

Category:19th-century American lawyers

Category:Grand Army of the Republic officials

Category:19th-century members of the Illinois General Assembly