Washington Crosses the Delaware - And Changes The Rice Family History!

In the early morning of December 26, 1776, George Washington and his colonial troops crossed the Delaware River. We all remember that from our American history classes, right? The details are even more interesting – determined to hold his army together (which was slowly disintegrating) and attack the Trenton garrison of 1,500 German (‘Hessian’) mercenary enemy garrison, General Washington’s men used sixty-foot Durham freight boats to cross. A furious storm of rain, sleet and snow slowed their progress, but George Washington’s gamble changed American history…as well as the history of the Rice Family.

Painting by Mort Kunstler

When Washington’s troops reached the NJ side of the Delaware, they marched overnight to Trenton. The Americans achieved their goal – the complete surprise of the Hessian garrison, which slumbered in the early morning hours of a post-Christmas celebration. The Americans routed the Hessians, capturing over 1,000 Hessians plus over 100 wounded or killed. The victory was complete.

Flag of Von Lossberg Regiment

Christian Ludwig Mueller of Hesse Castle, Germany, was almost certainly asleep in the Trenton garrison, in a foreign land, on that morning of December 26, 1776. As a member of Von Lossberg’s Fusilier Regiment, Mueller arrived in American in the first division of Hessian troops. His regiment fought with distinction in Long Island, White Plains, and Fort Washington. He had almost certainly enjoyed the German Christmas celebration the day before, and Mueller looked forward to a quiet winter quarters. Instead, later on that morning after Christmas, he stood in the ranks with his fellow German soldiers, in front of General Washington; Christian Mueller was now a captured prisoner of war.

The Hessian soldiers were later quartered as POWs in Carlyle, PA. Legend has it that they built the guard house there.

Postcard of Hessian Guard House, Carlyle, PA

Following the war, Christian Mueller and the Hessian prisoners were stranded – the British government would not pay for their return to Germany. The German monarchy, which had hired out the mercenaries to the British, was embarrassed by their soldiers’ lack of success, and abandoned the men.

Ultimately, Christian Mueller swore an oath to support the new United States of America, becoming an American. He eventually migrated to Clearville, in Bedford County, PA. Christian Mueller became a Pennsylvania farmer.

He’s my fifth great-grandfather – as a new American, Christian eventually changed his name to Miller. His grand-daughter, Elizabeth, married Jacob Rice (ie, my 3^rd great grand-parents). Elizabeth and Jacob had five sons who served in the Civil War, including twin sons, Isaac and Abraham, who were captured in Plymouth, NC and were confined in the infamous Andersonville Prison. And, my 2^nd great-grandfather, Nicholas Cornelius Rice, served in Nashville, TN on garrison duty. The basics of that American Civil War story are told in my video done at Shreves Chapel cemetery in Clearville, PA.

So, our ancestor fought in the Revolutionary War – on the British side! And, he was captured by the Americans. Then, their great-grandsons fought in the Civil War – and were captured by the Confederates!

Christian Ludwig Miller (1750 - 1828)
5th great-grandfather
Jacob J (Joseph) Miller (1781 - 1853)
son of Christian Ludwig Miller
Elizabeth Miller (1805 - 1891)
daughter of Jacob J (Joseph) Miller
Nicholas Cornelius Rice (1836 - 1918)
son of Elizabeth Miller
Simon Cornelius Rice (1868 - 1956)
son of Nicholas Cornelius Rice
Jacob Glenn Rice (1898 - 1981)
son of Simon Cornelius Rice
Thomas C Rice (1929 - 1983)
son of Jacob Glenn Rice
James Michael Rice

-          Jim Rice, December 26, 2017