World War I 100 Years Ago: June 17-23

From The Indianapolis Star, Monday, June 19, 1916: President Woodrow Wilson has called out the country’s militia because of deteriorating conditions with Mexico. Gov. Samuel Ralston received the mobilization order from Secretary of War Newton Baker shortly before 1:00 this morning, and Indiana’s National Guard has been ordered at once to mobilize at Ft. Benjamin Harrison to be ready to go to the Mexican Border. The entire strength of the state’s militia comprising thirty-three infantry companies; three batteries of field artillery; a quartermaster’s corps; a medical department; a field hospital and ambulance company; a signal corps; and one band — 2,367 men and 170 officers, will be mobilized within twenty-four hours. Secretary Baker said the state forces would be used only to guard the border thereby enabling regular army units to pursue any raiders.