I’m not sure how to phrase this. I’m thinking of a military unit, that has at least fifty guys; what’s the farthest a unit like that has traveled, on foot, in one day? Two? A Week? A Month?
I remember seeing that British Commandos had done over a hundred miles in a day. Confederate Soldiers and Roman Legions also come to mind.
It’s probably going to be a more modern march, since footwear and roads have both improved dramatically. Although I could see the Romans do it, maybe, but I doubt it. Very few other ancient cultures would have acceptable roads–perhaps the Incas or the Royal Road in Persia, but that’s it as far as I can tell.
Also, 100miles/day is 14:24 minute miles for 24 hours. The fastest ultramarathon runners, in running gear on a track, can barely do that in 12 hours. Where’s your source on that?
I remember reading somewhere (no cite, but hey, you can trust me) that Stonewall Jackson’s army in the Shenandoah Valley were referred to as ‘foot cavalry’ because they could average over 2 miles an hour for a day or two. This gave him a tremendous advantage in maneuvering around the slower Union forces. This was for an army of something like 15,000ish.
Whatever the fastest is I’m thinking it will be for a small group. You’re probably in the ball park in setting the minimum at 50.
I’d nominate the Zulu impis.
They were a lot bigger than 50 men.
Morris claimed that they would routinely cover 50 miles per day on forced marches.
Craufurd’s Light Division did 62 miles in 26 hours, Wiki says:
Not sure if those “miles” were modern reckoning or some other measure.
Members of the Royal Marines and Parachute Regiment marched 56 miles over the Falkland Isles’ rough terrain, carrying 80 pounds each, in just under three days to take Port Stanley back.
They used the same miles as we do. That march, in the July heat was not on good roads. Portugal did not have any then. It was a shame that they were too late though.
The famous “Band of Brothers”, Easy Company, did a march of 115 miles in 3 days. Supposedly some kind of record. It was covered in the first episode the TV series.
That doesn’t sound all that far/fast. In the 60s there was a craze for Kennedy 50 mile walks. Fairly ordinary fit people walking 50 miles in a day in a non-race. The extra military gear (packs and such) must have been a major cause of the slowdown.
Arrested Development had the narrator (Ron Howard) react strongly when someone referred to Michael as “Opie,” and insist that no one say anything bad about Andy Griffith.
The Spanish Blue Division in WWII (volunteer force) marched 900 km in c. 2 months to reach the front lines in Russia in late 1941.
In September 1066, King Harold II travelled from the South coast of England to Stamford Bridge when he learned of the Northern invasion by the Norwegians and his brother Tostig. I’m not sure if it counts as a march according to the OP, as Harold gathered his forces as he marched north (he had dismissed his men after the Norman invasion he was awaiting never materialized), but:
After defeating the Norwegians, Harold learned that the Norman invasion had finally occured, and was forced to march south again for the Battle of Hastings:
The Turks did a forced march across Palestine-Sinai to the Suez in 1914…and got cut to ribbons when they got there.