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ANTIGO BOYS WITH PERSHING AT BORDER.
Pancho Villa, bandit chieftain, in his desire to wage guerilla warfare against the United States, ransacked the border town of Columbus, New Mexico. President Wilson ordered General John J. Pershing into Chihuahua and other northern Mexican states in pursuit. State militia was called out to patrol the border and excitement was high. Langlade County boys in Co. L., Rhinelander, Oneida County military unit, were Louis Maybee, Archie and Curtis Carpenter of the city of Antigo, Charles Gehrke, Summit Lake, Oscar Hertell of Bass Lake, and Otto Staats. They returned home after eight months of border service, February 28, 1917. Truck drivers were necessary for border warfare and Bert Nixon, Lester Tosch, Ben Pliska and Ward Walsh enlisted in that branch of service.
RECRUITING FOR WORLD WAR.
When it became apparent that the United States had no alternative but to enter the war against Germany, a recruiting office was opened in Antigo. It was located in the rear of the Rogers-McCollister fruit store, Voight Bldg., and later located in the Manthey bldg., corner of Fifth Avenue and Edison Street.
Edward Cody, Postmaster, and Otto F. Berner were
the men most influential in organizing plans for an Antigo military unit. They were working quietly on the matter as early as June, 1916.
First volunteers to sign the roll on April 6, 1917,
were as follows:
0. A. Miller    William H. Leslie    Mike Skibbins    George Kolerus    Orville Green    Ezra Knapp    
John Gesiorek    George Chadek    Leland Mayotte    Henry Tenant    Leland A. Tollefson    Frank T. Lynde    
Stanley Talarcyzk    John Chadek    Edwin Walker    Edwin Menting    Richard Hugnin    Bill Now    
Al Menting    F. M. Hopkins    Floyd Topping    E. Krauk    F. Stidel    Silas Baird    
J. Sharon    Jr.    Evan M-irtin    Otto F. Berner    Alex Skibba    Leo Mountain    
Al Dixon    B. Hogan    A. McGregor    P. J. Sleeter    Hermis F. Dionne    Leo Bowens    
William Bonier    Henry Edwards    Frank Schyzyski        Henry Kawalski    0. G. Brandow    
Hugh Nelson    S. V. Noble    F. Hersant    Leo Ottman    Bert Mayerl    Lester Parkhill    
Floyd Burdin    Clarence Nowomy    Robert M. Dessureau    George P. Rath    Albert B. Arnold    C. D. Leslie    
Harold Huntoon    George Rabideau    Otto Weiher    John Shadick    Edwin Boettcher    James Schultz    
J. B. Zodrow    Robert Mattmiller    J. H. Hopkins    Norman Preston    Merritt Reader    Raymond Lange    
R. S. Griffith    George E. Brown    Ray Clegg    Daniel Hayes    George McArthur    John Maltby    
John Wall    1. Hoffman    Will Rice    I. C. Green    D. 0. Richter    George Edee    
J. Churney    Charles Bonnell    W. C. Peterson    C. H. Anderson    Charles McArthur    Anton Bosacki    
W. Neary    Dan Kehlnofer    Jerome Riley    Frank Luckowicz    John Cherek    William Reif    
F. Bahr    E. G. Winters    Walter Lange    James Garvey    Theodore Sloat.        

ANTIGO MILITIA LEAGUE.
The Antigo Militia League was organized April 18, 1917, two weeks after war was declared. Henry Hay was elected President; Edward Cody, Vice President; Fred L. Berner, Secretary, and J. C. Lewis, Treasurer.
The object of the league was to promote the organization of an Antigo military unit; to give moral and financial aid to the unit in its embryo stages. An executive committee consisting of G. J. Quigley, R. B. Johns, S. B. Ullman, Fred L. Berner, and John Hanousek, was appointed. The Antigo Militia League applied for state aid for an armory under the Wilcox Law after John Hanousek, a member of the executive committee, purchased the Antigo Opera House and presented it to the city for an armory. This work, together with a great patriotic meeting, May 16, 1917, when Col. Guy D. Goff and General Charles King spoke and the organization of Company "G," 4th Wisconsin Regiment, practically completed the purpose of the Militia League. The Antigo Militia League performed a commendable service in an anxious time in the history of Langlade County.
CITIZENS' TRAINING CAMP.
The Antigo Citizens' Training Camp, a home military unit, recognized in war on an equal status with the state militia, was organized October 26, 1917. A Board of Governors consisting of C. J. TeSelle, James Cody, S. B. Ullman, J, D. Mylrea, and Fred L. Berner was appointed. J. D. Mylrea was elected Captain, C. J. TeSelle, Ist Lieutenant, and Edward Faust, 2nd Lieutenant of the unit. Captain Mylrea resigned shortly after his selection. C. J. TeSelle then became Captain, Edward Faust, Ist Lieutenant, and Charles Cody, 2nd Lieutenant.
The Citizens' Training Camp drilled regularly and performed a service of importance at home. The organization took its oath and was inspected by a representative of the Adjutant General. No definite termination was made of the home guards, as they were called. Drill ceased when war ended.

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