Edmund kept a detailed diary of his adventures on the Snow Squall which was entrusted to me by his great grandson several years ago. It tells a terrific story of being in savage storms where the masts snapped off the ship and becoming lost at sea. There was a near mutiny and the second mate, carpenter, steward and cook all died mysteriously. Edmund and the surviving crew returned to Boston nearly a year later in the late summer of 1859.

It is unclear if Edmund returned to Norwich University at this time or became involved with working as a surveyor for his father's railroad endeavors. In February of 1861 his father, Moses Rice died of heart failure at the age of 50. He would never know of the glory and honor his son would experience in the next four bloody years of American history.

Norwich University later conferred upon Edmund Rice the degrees of B.S. in 1874, as for 1860, and M.A. in 1898 in recognition of his work as a soldier.