FORT CARSON, Colo. – There was a buzz in the air at the Mountain Post as the sun set on the brisk Colorado day.
Soldiers made final adjustments to their gear. Others greeted one another anxiously anticipating the trek ahead.
This was going to be a long, arduous night.
But it would be worth it in the end.
As the last remaining unit in the historic regiment, the 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, hosted one of its semi-annual, 25-mile foot marches called the “Manchu Mile” to remember the tremendous contributions of the regiment during the China Relief Expedition at the end of the 19th century.
During that operation commonly known as the “Boxer Rebellion,” 9th Regiment Soldiers marched 85-miles across China helping coalition forces win battles in Tientsin, Yang-tsun and Peking, earning the regiment its distinct title as “Manchu.”
Regimental Soldiers and others across Fort Carson joined the commemorative march, walking through the night to build camaraderie, cohesion and, as an added bonus, to acquire the coveted Manchu Belt Buckle.
The taxed expressions on the faces of the Manchu Mile participants betrayed the toll it took on them, but their spirits were heightened with the realization of the feat they were about to accomplish.
Participants beamed with their energy seemingly rising in step with the sun as they approached the crowd waiting at the finish line.
One could clearly see that it did not matter whether the participants were organic members of the regiment or unaffiliated Soldiers seeking the opportunity to test themselves with the challenging task.
Everyone who participated was connected by the Manchu spirit embodied in its motto –”Keep up the Fire”– which is attributed to Col. Emerson Liscum, the regimental commander during the Boxer Rebellion who was killed in action at Tientsin, China, on 13 July 1900.
According to reports, “in the course of an assault upon the walls of Tientsin, Liscum was struck by Chinese fire, and shortly after directing his men to ‘Keep up the Fire’ on the walls of the city, he died.”
Although the operations in China resulted in the regiment’s moniker, its successes pre-dated those events, and continue until today.
At the closing ceremony, the battalion command team unfurled the regimental colors displaying its countless streamers, each of which representing the enduring and prominent history of the regiment.
With their Manchu Belt Buckles in hand signifying their honorary membership in the 9th Infantry Regiment, Manchu Mile participants radiated pride and humility about preserving the “Keep up the Fire” legacy to which they are now forever linked.
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