The Madisonian. (Richmond, Ky.) 1913-1914, 1914-08-18

sors will permit no news to be sent
out
This much it is permitted to send:
"Unofficially it is stated that the Ger
man troops reformed after being re-
pulsed at Haelen the battle was re-
newed. Fresh Belgian troops were
sent to the front in support of their
comrades
1t was officially announced that the
Belgian cavalry division took up the
offensive against the Germans, who
were defeated at Haelen, with the
! object of picking up the dead and
wounded and collecting the abandon
| ed materials of war. No German sur
prise was expected, and there were
no reasons to fear any cavalry move
ments on Brussels from the south, all
roads leading to the capital being
guarded by the Belgian army and the
civic guard. Brief dispatches tell of
| fighting in the neighborhood of Ton
gres, north of Liege.
An official Belgian communication
says that a German force proceeding
| in the direction of Eghezee, to the
north of Namur, was attacked and re-
pulsed by the Belgian troops. The
Germans are said to have suffered Sc
we're casualties. The Belgians also
captured a number of machine guns
mounted on motor cars. Details of
the first days fighting at Haelen show
that while the battle was the most
| brilliant and stuhbornly contested of
! the war so far, it was but a skirmish
to the engagement which impends when
the complete armies on both sides
have finally maneuvered into position
Details of the losses sustained were
not at hand. According to the Belgian
reports the Germans were repulsed
after fierce fighting. At one place 1t
is declared more than 200 German
dead were counted in a space of so
yards square.
The engagement will be known as
the Battle of Haelen. 1t waged all day
and far into the night. At o'clock
in the evening shells were still falling.
According to the Belgian reports the
main fighting centered around Haelen,
which is in the Belgian province of
LimbLsg, while the battle line extend
ed to II ast, in the north of the prov
! ince of Brabant, after passing around
Zoelhem. The battle of Diest was
merely part of the general fight all
along the line. When patrol of car
bineers first signalled the approach Of
the German troops at the opening of
/ the engagement the Belgians manned
the trenches, and hot fire greeted
the German advance. Hating their
charge, the Germans brought into play
their artillery. A slaughter of Bel
gians followed. Bringing their guns
/ to bear upon the trenches, the Ger
mans swept them with such deadly
hail of bullets that the Belgians were
driven out and forced to retire into
the town of Haelen.
Hand-to-hand fighting ensued as the
Belgians broke from cover for their re
treats. The brilliant uniforms of the
Belgians, in contrast to the dull gray
suits of the Germans, made them
splendid targets for the Germans, and
they were swept down by scores in
their retreat upon the city. Reinforce
;ments were quickly brought up, how
ever, and the Belgians rallied, driving
the Germans back and recapturing the
defenses flom which they had beer
driven by the Germans, and forced
them back in series of desperate
charges toward Hasselt and ST. Trond
st. Petersburg ga Russian force ha.
taken the town of Sokal, Austrian Ga
licia, by assault, inflicting heavy cas-
ualties on the Austrian garrison, &C
} cording to a semi-official announce
ment.
The Austrian garrison consisted o
, two infantry battalions, regiment o
lancers and regiment of hussars
: After dislodging them, the Russian
: cavalry pursued the Austrians across
! the River Bug and blew up two bridges
and viaduct. Several houses in So
: kal, which is As miles northeast o
: Lemberg. were set on fire and burne,
to the ground by the Russian troop
: because civilians had fired from then
: on the attacking force. The Russian
captured some military building ma
terial, pontoons and telegraph instru
ments.
The German concentration along tn
line of Liege, Luxembourg and Met
now complete, and Is army corps, wit
two Austrian corps, are within strikin
: distance of the French frontier. Tn
5 total strength of this force is est
e mated at 100000 men, with 10000
!. infantry, $4,000 cavalry, 1000 feel
!. guns and howitzers and 1900 machin
f guns This is about double til
a strength and force that Moltke ha
e at his disposal in 1870