The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1914-11-02
VICTORY BELONGS LARGELY TIC
GERMAN BLuEJAcKETs
AND MARINES
Gen. Won 6eseler at Head Of Hetero-
senous Army AeeompIIshes
Great Feat.

Great Feat.
Correspondence OF the Associated Press)
HEADQUARTERS GERMAN MAR
me DIVISION. ANTWERP, Oct. H.
Roads to the south of Antwerp by
which the correspondent of the As
ISOLATED Press came into Antwerp to-
day are jammed with unbroken
columns OF siege artillery, mortar bat
teries and baggage trains trekking
away from the just captured fortress
The infantry and field artillery of
General Won Beseler's besieging army
are well on their way south TO turn
the scale II possible. like Nogi's army
at Mukden. in the great battle of the
Aisne.
The bluejackets and marine infan-
try from Kiel. Cuxhaven and Wilhelm
shaver. smelling salt water again az
ter campaign gilmore than a month
through Belgium. remain at Antwerp
for further disposition. but whether
TO engage in naval campaign from
their new base or merely to garrison
this quarter Of Belgium the cable Will
have told before this letter reaches
America. IL may be significant that
attachments Of sailors recruited from
the German mercantile marine and
armed only with cutlass and revolver
have lain for several weeks behind
the army. taking no part in the fight
Ing and evidently destined for sea
duty after the capture Of the mort
The story OF the siege OF Antwerp
from the German side. as related to
the correspondent of the Associated
Press by an officer attached to the
starr. Is largely the story OF the ma
rine division, OF the pioneers and OF
the artillery. which formed the back
bone OF the Heterogeneous army OF
landwehr. landstrum and reserve for
nations entrusted to General Won
Beseler to attack one OF the strongest
fortresses In Europe. II Is a story Of
easy victory where hard fighting was
expected. and OF desperate resistance
in formidable positions where little
trouble was anticipated: OF volun-
teers in life preservers crossing
meats and rivers with hand grenades
to attack the entrenched Belgians: Of
assaults twice abandoned in the face
OF impossible infantry fire: OF pio-
neers swimming flooded rivers by
night to lay bridges for the storming
infantry; and always story Of the
irresistible effect OF the German
heavy artillery.
Fall Was Unexpected.
Antwerp fell, II Is learned. eight
days earlier than General Won Bese-
Ter had anticipated This unexpect-
edly quick termination OF the siege
was due in part 20 the discoura ge-
ment Of the Belgian forces. dlsheart-
ened by nine weeks OF defeat and with
little hope Of prolOnging the resist
ance until relief could arrive. and
partly 10 the fact. discovered by the
Germans when they took possession
OF the water. that the fortress lines
had been practically penetrated when
the fortified positions behind the
Nethe river were carried October s
and 7.
The Belgian engineers. apparently
realizing that the inner Rirdle OF
forts was too close 10 the city. set up
q second line Of defense behind the
Hood barrier Of the Nethe. damned I'D
70 inundate a bolt 81 land n quarter
% n mile vide. and had robbed the
inner forts Of their heavy guns to
arm this imprOvised but exceedingly
strong position. Once this line was
carried. the inner forts could. offer
Comparatively little resistance and
the city itself lay open 10 lombard
mont
Antwerp itself. az seen in a drive
through miles ~ city streets. suffered
less from the bombardmonf than
might have been expected Slgns Of
tho German shells are observed in all
quarters 81 the city. but the deafruo.
tion o. usually confined 10 individual
houses or groups ~ houses at widely
scattered intervals. the great mass 81
intervening buildings being un-
touched
Due 20 Definite Plan.
a. German headquarters o. was
stated that this was due to a definite
plan Of bOmbardment. designed to con.
vince Antwerp with a minimum ~
damage that all parts ~ the city we're
~ The mercy n the German Runs. ana
That further resistance was useless.
Jho heavy ~ and 1914 inch guns we-.
not used against the city. but shells
ron The smaller mOrtara were
dropped into section after section ~
NE town. one or two shells ~ each
section. until every quarter had been
systematically visited The artn1arv.
me- working with maps Of the civ.