The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-08-14

Of Diest and Haelen yesterday lasted .
through the entire day and reports
from the vicinity say that shells were
still falling on the roads near Dicst
al 1880 o'clock last night The centre .
of the battle was at Haelen, four miles .
southeast Of Dicst. The latter is one
Of the Ave fortified towns Of Belgium.
According TO the reports the German
troops had been driven back from the
line OF the fighting about Haelcn by
o'clock last night and steps were at
once taken to collect the dead and
wounded. AS an instance OF the heavy
casualties IT is reported that the bodies
of 200 German soldiers we're counted
within a space fifty yards square. The
Belgians gathered great quantity
Of arms and ammunition and other
booty on the battlefield and brought
1t back to Diest. where they stacked 1t
in a great heap in front of the Town
Hall. Many horses were captured.
The Germans began the attack near
~ bul VIC kItdN''l part VI Inv
kalsers forces were reserved for an
attack on Dlest. II is believed that
the advance on TIrlemont was only a
feint.
The first move was the throwing Of
a large force of cavalry. estimated at
four or five thousand men. across the
River Goethe. This advance was COW
cred by n heavy artillery fire, hut the
Belgian guns posted on advantageous
heights made an effective reply and
caused heavy losses to the Germans.
One squadron of Uhlans made a des-
perate dash almost to the gates OF
Diest and We're driven back only after
half their number had been killed or
wounded by the civil guard, who made
a brave defence giving effective aid
to the regular troops.
Prussian dragons reached a small
village about a mile and half from
the objective of the general attack
The Belgians had seen the manpuvre
in time to throw up a barricade of
farm wagons and a terrific fire was
poured on the enemy. The bravery of
the German troops excited the admira-
ton even OF their foes. They rode up
to the barricade time and again and
there scores of them fell. The fight
in its last stages Is described as a ver-
table massacre of the Kaiser's soldiers
The hundreds Of prisoners who were
taken repeated the story of starvation
which has already played such an i'm
portant part in the operations of tn,
German army. Many OF them had hat
nothing to eat for twenty-four hour,
and their horses were in a similar con.
d,lon.
IIaelen suffered heavily from the ar
p tillery fire. A church and brewery
ngs were destroyed. Belgian engi,
e neers destroyed two bridges over tn,
Demer to impede the German advance
e 1t is estimated that the Germans en-
! gagged In the fighting at Haelen anC
e Diest numbered about 5000 men.
The Belgan losses at Tirlemont yes
terday in an engagement between I
y body Of Belgian lancers and German
Uhlans are placed at 25 killed TIT
= number of wounded is not stated, Tn
) Germans checked the charge of tn
5 lancers with machine gun fire, bu
= were in turn driven back by n bod
Z of Belgian infantry, II is announce
here that the Germans lost $50 kllle
l. out OF about 1000 uhlans in the on
. gagement.
j.. believe Mig battle Is On.
e No official news Is available Of tn
I. big battle which all Brussels believe
IL has already begun. Outside of the minu
l. engagements mentioned the War Ofiic
e gives no reports of other places wher
IT lighting is going on. There is an I'M
70 preston that the German main arm
:, in Belgium will endeavor to circle Lou
Ne vain where the Belgian main army IA
70 entrenChed itself,
The movements OF the Relgian ma
army and the armies of the allies al
kept carefully guarded by the Wa
H. Otiicc. Even the officials OF 9th,
ty branches of the Government are sa