The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1914-09-17
American Correspondent Tells of
The Horrors of That Fierce
Battle in Belgium.
Kindred THOUSAND ENGAGED
p,oody Struggle for Possession of
railway Embankment, Germans
Finally Winning by Force Of
humbers-Retreat of the
5elsians to Antwerp.

,orouing cablegram from Il. AleXan-
dar Powell, dated Antwerp, Aug. 27:
Thu lelmeted legions of the kaiser,
.tvsn out of Malines on Tuesday,
uorA reinforced yesterday and before
+hair Overwhelming onset the Bel
.,ons sullenly gave way and retreated
9th Gains on shoulders.
write Of what l saw with my own
.ros as I had the distinction of being
tha only American correspondent per-
r,tad 10 accompany the forces, the
government placing a military car at
my disposal
over 100000 in Battle.
Thu battle of Malines, in which four
Belgian divisions, totaling $4,000 men,
contepiad with considerably
stronger force of Germans, was fought
IN that wonderfully beautiful region
Ave miles south of the famous city
ond dozen miles from Brussels.
tn get a clear conception of the bat
so ora must picture a 50-foot high
railway embankment, its steeply slop-
ing sides heavily wooded, stretching
across a smiling, fertile countryside
,ka a monstrous green snake. On
this line run fast trains from Ant
wern 10 Bussels. Malines, with Its
historic buildings and famous cathe-
draI lies on one side of this embank-
ment. and Wilworde on the other,
four miles separating them.
Beiqians Take Offensive.
On Tuesday the Belgians, believing
the German communications to be
Doorly guarded and the German garri-
son in Brussels too weak to assist
them, -ashly sailed from the shelter
Of the Antwerp defenses and took the
offensive like terrier striking a bull
dog. -.
They drove the Germans from Ma
lines. but the Germans brought up
fresh army corps and yesterday morn
ing the Belgians found themselves In
per!lous position. The battle hinged
on the possession Of the embankment
and was fought along ten-mile front.
Begins With Artillery Duel.
The battle began at dawn with an
artillery duel across the embankment.
By noon the cannonade was terrific.
The Germans got the range and rain
Of shrapnel burst about the Belgian
batteries. which limbered up and re-
tired ar a trot in perfect order.
could see dark blue masses of Bel
gian infantry falling back, cool as on
a winters morning. Through mis-
take Two battalions of carabineers did
not receive the order to retire and
were in imminent danger of destruc-
ton.
10 reach them a messenger would
have had to traverse a mile of open
road swept by shrieking shrapnel. A
coione; summoned gendarme and
gave aim the orders and he set spurs
to his horse and tore down the road,
an archaic figure in towering bearskin.
Rider Reaches the Troops.
It was a ride into the jaws of death.
lie saved his troops, but as they fell
PACK the German gunners got the
range and dropped shell upon shell
INTO the running column. Road and
nelds we're dotted with corpses in Bel
gian blue
Several times the Germans attempt
ed to carry the embankment with bay
onets. out the Belgians met them with
Dia5fs u lead which shriveled the gray
COIIHi,, !iko autumn 1navoq
A. aeon the Belgians and Germans
We're n places only so yards apart,
and the rattle of musketry sounded
IKE boy drawing a stick along the
palins5 Of picket fence.
Zeppelin Hovers Overhead.
During the height of the battle a
Zeppelin slowly circled over the field
IKE {. great vulture awaiting a feast.
8y four o'clock all the Belgian
Troops were withdrawn except thin
screen to cover the retreat. l was
snxIous to witness the German ad-
vance and remained on the railway
embankment on the outskirts Of
oem2st after all the Belgians had
Withdrawn except a picket Of ten men.
mad my car waiting with the motor
running.
lhe Germans prefaced their advance
"hn d terrible fire. The air was filed
WIN whining shrapnel; farmhouses
collapsed amid puffs of brown smoke.
lAe Sky was smeared in dozen places
VITA the smoke of burning dwellings.
Suddenly soldier crouching beside
ME cried, Les Allemands." From a
screen Of woods along the embank-
uehF burst long line of gray figures
NoaFS7Iy cheering. At the same mo-
mVhE l heard splutter of shots III the
1Nlage below me and my chauffeur
St:l7amed, Hurry for your life, mon
''5CF' the uhlans are upon u.s."
tnink broke the worlds record
~ ' speed in getting to my car. AS we
A down the road which leads to
~ 45 u Il