The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1914-08-25
GERMAN Army SIEzES BRUSSELS
Belgians Fail: Back Upon Antwerp Forts Without
Engaging 1nvaders---Paris Claims
Alsace Victory.

Paris, Aug. 21.-The German cav
airy have occupied Brussels. This
official announcement was made
Thursday night. Strong columns are
following up this movement. The
Belgian army is retiring on Antwerp
Germans
Along with the announcement OF
the fall of Brussels, the official state
ment says:
"Our troops have met with brill
liant successes in Alsace, especially
between Muelhausen and Altkirch.
The Germans retreating on the Rhine
left In our hands many prisoners
and twenty-four guns, six of which
were captured by our infantry after
sharp struggle.
I'm Lorraine the day was less for
tunate for US. Our advanced troops
found themselves faced by excep-
tionally strong positions. They were
forced by a counter attack, to fall
back in body, which is solidIy es-
tablished on the Seille and along
the canal from the Marine to the
Rhine"
May Change Campaign Plans.
An entire change in the plan of
campaign may be brought about by
the finding of an opening to the
north by the German army in Bel
GUM. This was admitted in an Off
ciel communication from Brussels
on Thursday, which said the Ger
mans had gained ground on both
banks of the Meuse and are in con-
tact with the allies. 1t adds that
the "Belgians, having done all that
could be expected by holding the in
vaders to check for fifteen days, their
strategy will now be merged into the
general plan of the allied armies
Decisive Defeat is Denied
1t concludes with the significant
sentence that the retrograde move
ment does not mean defeat" imply
ing that the Belgians have been oper-
ating hitherto by themselves in
checking the Germans while the
French and British We're making pre-
parations to meet the advancing
German forces.
Antwerp, now the seat of the Bel
gian government, apparently is the
temporary goal of the German troops
in Belgium. They are reported NOV
ing slowly but steadily in the difec-
ton of the great fortified port on
III
diers have occupied the town of Tirle-
mont and their masses, pushing IN
from the frontier, are believed to
have comeep contact with the allies
Reports in Brussels asserted
battle had occurred near Charleroi.
in which the Germans were supposed
to have suffered the loss Of 5000
killed. This was not confirmed by
any official source.
Germans Retake Vile.
That the Germans are making
determined resistance to the French
operations in Alsace-Lorraine is in
dicated by the war Offices announce
ment that the Germans have retaken
the town of Vile.
1t is stated that the fighting has
lasted for five hours The German
Uhlans charged time and again, using
their lances to good advantage, and
finally the French retired, leaving
the Germans in possession of the
field The official announcement
says:
"Our troops fought with great
bravery at Willie. Despite an over
whelming force of Germans attack
ing them, they held out for five hours
and then retired in good order"
No Invasion of France.
London, Aug. 21.-The Germans
have at last occupied Brussels, but
in Alsace they seem to be making no
advance. The latest report is that
the French have recaptured Muel-
hansen and it still seems true that,
after eighteen days of fighting, here
are no German troops on French soil.
On Germany's eastern frontier
there has been considerable outpost
fighting which would indicate that
the Russians are completing Their
work of concentration. There have
been no serious collisions in this re-
gion as yet, however Austria is too
much engaged with Russia anG with
the need of helping Germany TO make
much progress IN her campaign
against Servia.
New Peace Effort.
The death of Pope Plus will be
made the occasion for another effort
to bring about peace. 1t is stated
that when the conclave meets in
Rome to elect new pope it Will
send an appeal to the warning nations
for peace and will ask the United
States to aid in bringing about trail
guilty.
Russians Invade Prussia.
st. Petersburg, Aug. 20.-A body of
Russian troops, according to an Off
May Forbid Expectation.