9th Infantry Regiment (United States)

The 9th Infantry Regiment ("Manchu") is a parent infantry regiment of the United States Army.

Unrelated units designated the 9th Infantry Regiment were organized in the United States Army in 1798 during the Quasi-War, in 1812 during the war of 1812, and in 1847 during the Mexican–American War. The 1812 regiment fought in the Battle of Lundy's Lane, and the 1847 regiment in the Battle for Mexico City.

The lineage of the current regiment begins with the 1855 organization of the 9th Infantry Regiment, which was dispatched to the Pacific Northwest, where it served in the American Indian Wars. The regiment remained in the west during the American Civil War, garrisoning posts near San Francisco. After the end of the American Civil War the regiment continued its service through the final Indian Wars, then fought at the Battle of San Juan Hill during the Spanish–American War. During the Boxer Rebellion, the 9th Infantry was sent to China, where it earned the nickname Manchu. After the end of the rebellion the regiment saw duty in the Philippine–American War.

In 1917 the regiment became part of the 2nd Infantry Division, with which it served during World War I, World War II, and the Korean War. Reorganized as a parent regiment during the late 1950s as the United States Army adapted its organization to the Cold War, its 4th Battalion served with the 25th Infantry Division in the Vietnam War. The 9th's 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Battalions served in the 1989–1990 United States invasion of Panama, Operation Just Cause, with the 7th Infantry Division (Light). Its 1st and 4th Battalions fought in the Iraq War and 4th Battalion later fought in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan in 2012-2013. Detachments of 4th Battalion deployed again to Afghanistan in support of Operation Freedom’s Sentinel in 2018-2019 and to Iraq and Syria as part of Operation Inherent Resolve in 2021-2022. 4th Battalion is, , the only remaining active battalion of the regiment, stationed at Fort Carson with the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division.

History

Early organizations The first unit designated “9th Infantry Regiment” was one of the first permanent units authorized for the United States Army. It first appeared as a result of the Act of Congress of 16 July 1798, that authorized twelve additional regiments of infantry, in January 1799. Josiah Carville Hall, of Maryland, was its lieutenant colonel. All of the officers were appointed from Maryland, and the regiment was recruited in that state. However it was disbanded 15 June 1800. It appeared again serving in the War of 1812, it was again organized in March 1812, with Simon Learned, of Massachusetts, as colonel. The regiment was raised in Massachusetts, and took part in the war on the northern border, being present at the Battle of Lundy's Lane, and other actions in that area. Following the war in the reorganization of the army, this regiment was again disbanded. These early units called the “9th Infantry” have no lineal connection to the present regiment that was formed in 1855.

Mexican War As a result of the Mexican–American War, in April 1847, the 9th Infantry was again organized, as one of the ten one-year regiments authorized by the Act of 11 February 1847. It was recruited primarily from the six New England states. It was briefly commanded by Colonel (and future President of the United States) Franklin Pierce before Pierce was promoted to brigadier general and commander of the brigade that included the 9th Regiment. Pierce was succeeded by Colonel Truman B. Ransom, who was killed in the assault upon Chapultepec Castle. Ransom was succeeded by Colonel Jones M. Withers, who resigned 23 May 1848, and he was succeeded by Colonel Henry L. Webb.

The regiment served in the Mexico City campaign and was in the Battle of Contreras, Battle of Churubusco, Battle of Molino del Rey and at the Battle of Chapultepec where it took a distinguished part. At the Battle of Chapultepec it was in support of the storming force, but joined with it as a part of the assault on the citadel. Sixteen officers and eleven enlisted men of the regiment were mentioned by name in the report of Major General Gideon Pillow for meritorious conduct in this battle, among the former being Second Lieutenant R. C. Drum, later a general. Another officer who served with the regiment was Major William B. Taliaferro, who became a major general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.

Following the end of the war, the regiment returned to the United States where, by 26 August 1848, its officers and soldiers were discharged and the regiment was disbanded.

Similar to the earlier versions of the 9th Infantry, the Mexican-American War iteration has no lineage connection to the current 9th Infantry Regiment.

Oregon and Washington Territory Indian Wars Between March and November 1855, the 9th Infantry Regiment was again organized under Colonel George Wright at Fortress Monroe, Virginia. It has remained in continuous existence since then; the lineage of the currently active regiment is traced back to this organization. Silas Casey was its Lieutenant-colonel, and Edward Steptoe, and Robert S. Garnett were its Majors. In December 1855 the regiment was ordered to the Pacific Coast, via Panama, arriving in the latter part of January 1856. The headquarters and Companies A, B, C, E, F, G, I and K, took station at Fort Vancouver, Washington Territory. Lieutenant-Colonel Casey with Companies D and H going to Fort Steilacoom, and was plunged into operations against the Nisqually, Muckleshoot, Puyallup, and Klickitat in the Puget Sound War.

From March 1856, Colonel Wright with companies from Fort Vancouver were fighting the Yakima War. Following the close of field operations until the spring of 1858, the regiment was engaged in building posts and making roads. In August 1857, Company F was detailed as escort to the Northern Boundary Commission and remained in the field on that duty nearly three years.

In 1858, during part of the wars with Native Americans in the West, the 9th was posted at Fort Dalles in Oregon Territory under the command of then Colonel George Wright.Horner, John B. (1921). Oregon: Her History, Her Great Men, Her Literature. The J.K. Gill Co.: Portland. p. 122-123 In May 1858, Company E under Major Steptoe formed part of a force of one hundred and fifty-nine men sent to make a reconnaissance of the country to the north of Fort Walla Walla. On 17 May 1858, Steptoe's command was attacked by over one thousand Indians in the Battle of Pine Creek which triggered the Spokane – Coeur d'Alene – Paloos War. In August 1858, an expedition from Fort Dalles under Colonel Wright proceed against the Spokane Indians and their allies. The following Battle of Four Lakes brought about a lasting peace with the Indians of eastern Washington.

In October 1860, Captain Frederick Tracy Dent with Company B and a detachment of Company E, left Fort Walla Walla, to rescue the emigrants who had escaped from the Salmon Falls Massacre, on the Snake River. In May 1861, a detachment of the regiment was detailed as an escort to the Fort Benton wagon road expedition, for nearly fifteen months.

Civil War and late 19th-century Indian wars During the American Civil War, the 9th Infantry Regiment was ordered to San Francisco prior to its transfer to the East. Its colonel, George Wright, was promoted to command of the Department of the Pacific, and the order was revoked. The regiment was left on the Pacific Coast, where it had duty at the posts near San Francisco, performing provost guard duty in that city until late in 1865. Following the death of Colonel Wright in the wreck of the steamer Brother Jonathan, Colonel John H. King succeeded to command of the 9th Regiment in December 1866.

During the period from 1866 to 1869, elements of the regiment were in the Snake War in Northern California and Oregon and in conflict with the Chemehuevi in Southern California. In June 1869, the regiment was ordered to the Department of the Platte, where it absorbed the 2nd establishment of the 27th Infantry Regiment. It was from the 27th Infantry Regiment that the regiment gets its Civil War battle honors, derived from the 2nd Battalion of the 18th Infantry Regiment that was the cadre around which the 27th formed at the end of the Civil War.

Following the reorganization the 9th Infantry performed garrison duty at various posts and guard duty on the Union Pacific Railroad line. In May 1873, six companies, A, D, E, F, H and I, were sent to the Department of Dakota for duty with the Yellowstone Expedition, escorting the engineers locating the Northern Pacific Railroad. From the summer of 1874 to May 1876, the regiment was stationed at posts on or near the Sioux reservation in Nebraska and Wyoming and was almost constantly escorting wagon trains. In the summer of 1875 Companies C, E and H, were in the Black Hills, Dakota, as part of the escort to the Newton–Jenney Party, Company E remained in the field until November assisting in ejecting white intruders who had entered Sioux territory.

In May 1876, Companies C, G and H became a part of the Big Horn and Yellowstone Expedition under command of Brigadier General Crook and were in the field until late in October taking part in the engagement with the Indians at Tongue River, Montana, 9 June, the Battle of the Rosebud, and the Battle of Slim Buttes. Companies G and H also assisted in repelling a night attack by Indians on the camp on Goose Creek, Wyoming, 9 July 1876. In the early part of September the entire command was without rations for a number of days, and subsisted on horse flesh and a small quantity of dried meat and fruit captured at Slim Buttes. In October 1876, the Powder River Expedition was organized and Companies A, B, D, F, I and K formed a part of it. They remained in the field until January 1877, during the most severe part of the winter, and practically brought to a termination the Great Sioux War of 1876.

In July 1877, Companies B, D, F, H, I and K were a part of the force sent to Chicago, Illinois, at the time of the Great Railroad Strike of 1877. They remained a month performing guard duty over various public and private institutions.

During the summer and fall of 1878 Companies B, C, H and I were a part of a force of observation on the Little Missouri River, and in the northwestern part of the Black Hills.

In October 1878 Companies G and K were part of the force in the field in the Cheyenne War. Company K was mounted and took active part in the pursuit.

In October 1879, Companies E and K went into the field in the White River War, remaining until July 1880.

In 1883, Col. John S. Mason, took command of the 9th Regiment and in July 1886, the regiment went to the Department of Arizona. During their service there the regiment was in garrisons at every post in Arizona and at some posts in New Mexico. Four companies, C, E, H and I, were in the field in New Mexico for about a month during the Apache campaign of 1886 against Geronimo.

Following the end of the Indian Wars the regiment participated in the Spanish–American War. It fought in the Battle of San Juan Hill A member of the ninth infantry, Ira C. Welborn, was awarded the Medal of Honor for going under enemy fire to save a private.

20th century

Boxer Rebellion

At the beginning of the century the U.S. Army dispatched the 9th Infantry Regiment to Qing China during the Boxer Rebellion and the China Relief Expedition where the regiment earned the nickname "Manchus".