Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 219, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 September 1916 — INDIANA COMPANIES DOING GUARD DUTY [ARTICLE]

INDIANA COMPANIES DOING GUARD DUTY

Among Troops Replacing Minnesota Men at Three Places Along Rio Grande River.

Mercedes, Tex., Sept. 9.—Eight companies, including A and B of the Second Indiana, left for the Rio Grande today to replace the Minnesota troops at Mercedes pump house, Progrcsso and Champion’s store. They will do guard duty for two weeks. Official reports sent out show there is considerable sickness at Llano Grande. So crowded is the field hospital that an addition with tents has been put up and the surgeons are busy with many operations. However, the sickness is not serious, being for the most part dengue fever and paratyphoid fever and intestinal troubles. A private in the North Dakota regiment died Wednesday night and his body was sent home Friday. Bob Peacock, private, of Co. A, was on guard the other night and he says he is not likely to forget it'. Peacock halted what he thought was a buck private trying to slip througn the lines after taps had sounded. Ho ordered the man to advance and be recognized. When the “buck private” was close enough to be recognized, Peacock saw two silver eagles on hi 3 blouse. This evidently “fussed” Peacock, for he forgot what to say. Tlje man was Colonel Naftzger, who became impatient at the delay and asked the guard what he desired. Peacock hesitated and then muttered “Pass in review.” The colonel continued his work. When the top sergeant of Co. C was telling she. Indianapolis men they were ordered not to cross the river into Mexico when they left camp on pleasure jaunts, the appearance of three dainty educators in the company street turned every head in the company. “At ease, men,” said the sergeant, and gave them all a chance to crane their necks and drink in the wonderful sight, but as far as the order he read, forbidding them to cross the Rio Grande, he might as well have been reading to them the day’s stock quotations. The men remember nothing except there were crisp fresh ruffles and white boots and whiffs of toilet water.