The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-09-07
Ky CLARENCE A. rILEsrox.

american who Uds an eye,pitness Of that
now famous engagement.
Ky CLARENCE 4. TILEsTON.
During the early days OF the French
mobilization | was In Paris on private
I business. At my hotel were also stopping
some Belgian friends whom ! had met on
TWO OF nay previous trips 20 Europe. the
WE father and sister of a Belgian army
officer They were naturally most anxious
to return 10 Belgium in tim, to see this
officer before he went 70 tho front. In
view of the unsettled conditions of travel
ana tho feeble state of health OF the
lather volunteered to accompany the
party.
After arriving at Brussels after a slow
i "TRIP on account NJ the troop trains we
discovered that Col Y had left with his
regiment for the front. After many in
quiries we learned that the brigade ~
Whlch his regiment formed a part had
, hcen ordered to Lege aud was now ON
th. way there. Nine y however suc.
c'eded in securing a pass from the milf
1 iirE authorities permitting her 10 motor
out IN the direction which the regiment
h'd taken, accompanied by nor sister and
myself
Arriving at Tirlemont by way OF Lou.
VAIN, We found that our further progress
In the direction Of Liege was impossible
We found. however. Col. X's regiment
mad been diverted in the direction Of
Hasselt.
stopped by belgian Omcers.
We passed the night In Tirlemont and
earli the next morning. Wednesday
August IL. we made ready 10 proceed in
our new direction. This time We were
stopped by Belgian officers The Ger.
mans were reported a = having left Hassel,
with the intention Of forcing their way to
1 Brussels, and IL was utterly gu, OF tho
queftion, they said, to 20 nearer the from,
Mm" y. refused TO GO back Ia Brussels
AZ least for the present, prcferring TO re-
main In Tirlemort As for myself. having
come 50 near 70 real operations | was
curious to see more had a little talk
with the chauffeur. using arguments Of
/ the KIND that are usually most persuasive
| tie agreed To take me "a far - Diest
little after o'clock We heard heavy
/ hring directly in front Of US As We con-
tnuod TO advance we learned that the
Germans were itghting their way forward
along the very road that We had intended
10 take-between Diest and Haelen-and
had been lighting since o'clock that
morning
The Germans had advanced from Has
self 10 the little town Of Haelen ,us.
ahead of us when they were met by a
company OF Belgian cyclists armed with
light portable Hotchkiss machine guns
These cyclists had opened fire upon the
first platoon OF Chlans as they advanced
upon the outskirts OF the village Their
fire had proved SO effective that IL moved
down the entire platoon. The Captain in
command of this company told me In .he
afternoon during a lull in tho fighting
that one charge OF the automatic guns
had been sufficient TO sweep the road
clean. This was the opening OF the battle
Leaving the automobile In the care of
the chauffeur, ! advanced on foot to
point where though II was eth well in
the rear OF the Belgian lines, ! was able
to get a view of some OF the fighting.
German Loss-. Heavy.
Rv the time I arrived the Germans had
forced the cyclists 10 retire, but not with
out suffering heavy losses. I saw entire
platoons Of Germans lying where they
had fallen, moved down by the deadly
fire OF the Belgian Machine guns. The
Germans came on I'm such numbers how
ever. that they threatened 10 outaark and
overwhelm the company Of cyclists who
themselves were hut 200 strong. They
we're obliged To retreat upon the main
body Of troops in the rear OF the town.
which consisted of six regiments--artil-
iery. infantry and cavalry.
After this joining Of forces the Belgian
.avalry went forward to meet the Ger