World War I 100 Years Ago This Week: July 31-Aug. 7

From The Indianapolis Times, Thursday, August 12, 1915: With the Mexican troubles boiling and bubbling again, officers and enlisted men of the Provisional Regiment, Indiana National Guard, at Ft. Benjamin Harrison when not discussing military tactics, talk of the one thing that seems uppermost in the minds of these citizen soldiers – the possibility of real military service. Every man wants to go, and every man, as he charges through wet weeds and grass, sinking ankle deep in mud, almost forgets it is a “mimic” battle and thinks he is crossing the sands of northern Mexico. There is much rivalry among the eight companies of the Provisional Regiment. The men want work and drill. They endure the hardships of camp to learn the military game. There is a deep motive of patriotism that makes these citizen soldiers endure the hardships of military training.