Liscum Bowl comes home to 4ID Museum

By Spc. Justin Yoshida and 2nd Lt. Ryan BradleySeptember 26, 2018

Liscum Bowl comes home to 4ID Museum
1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Liscum Bowl comes home to 4ID Museum
2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

After 12 years, one of the 9th Infantry Regiment's most prized trophies, a 92-pound silver punch bowl, returned stateside to be displayed at the 4th Infantry Division Museum.

In a ceremony April 25, 2018, Soldiers of the 4th Battalion, 9th Inf. Reg., 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, regimental association members and a distant relative of Col. Emerson H. Liscum, for whom the bowl is named, unveiled the 116-year-old treasure.

"It's very humbling to be part of this organization," said Lt. Col. David Uthlaut, commander of 4th Bn., 9th Inf. Reg., the last active battalion of the regiment in the U.S. Army.

The bowl and its silver cups most recently resided at the 2nd Infantry Division Museum at Camp Red Cloud, South Korea, until it was escorted to Fort Carson by 4th Inf. Div. Museum staff to be closer to its parent regiment. The 2nd Inf. Div. no longer has an active battalion of the 9th Inf. Reg.

"(The) 9th Inf. Reg. has a tangible link with their past," said Joseph Berg, director, 4th Inf. Div. Museum. "These sort of artifacts are important, because they represent something that has been handed down from Soldier to Soldier across the lifespan of the regiment."

And it was Soldiers of the regiment who commissioned the bowl in honor of Liscum who commanded the regiment during the China Relief Expedition to protect American lives during the Boxer Rebellion. According to the U.S. Army Center of Military History, the "Boxers" were fanatics who wished to eradicate all foreign influences from China.

On July 13, 1900, while the 9th Inf. Reg. was engaging the Chinese in the area of the Tientsin, Liscum was struck and fatally wounded. In the heat of the battle, Liscum's last words were "Keep Up The Fire," giving the 9th Infantry Regiment its motto. The 9th Inf. Reg. also earned the honorary title of "Manchus" for its actions and dedication during the rebellion.

After the fall of Tientsin, looting in the city became a problem. On July 15, a Chinese government mint containing silver bullion was discovered and guarded by the regiment. The silver was returned to the Chinese government after the attack had ended, and in turn, the Chinese presented the regiment with some of the recovered silver as a token of appreciation for protecting the mint.

It is this silver that now comprises the Liscum Bowl, first unveiled in April 1903. The bowl underwent extensive restoration in 2003 and was on display in Washington until 2006 when it was moved to the museum in South Korea.

"I never thought it would come home," said Rebecca Liscum, distant relative of Col. Liscum. "It is such an American treasure. I am glad it is finally home."