Sioux County pioneer. (Fort Yates, Sioux County, N.D.) 1914-1929, 1914-09-24
how war HOSTS OF GERMANY
SWEPT THROUGH BELGIUM

unlans. He ned In complete ignorance
OF the fate OF his wife and children.
After evacuating Louvain the Bel.
CLANS retreated to . high. wooded
country and found an excellent defen.
sive position. Meanwhile, having
cleared Louvain and occupied the
town, the Germans pushed forward
with great CELEBRITY, their cavalry open.
ing out in fan shape and spreading
ACROSS the country. They ran against
the enemy in strong position and the
Belgian artillery punished them &C.
verely.
Germans lntreneh Selves.
Reinforcements were hurried up
and the Germans. with view to hold
Ing on. started to intrench themselves.
They seemed to be meditating vigor.
Gus attack on the Belgians. The Ger
man guns next came into action, but
though their shooting showed consid-
cradle improvement ~ compared with
what I saw last week they were un-
able to mako any impression on the
Belstans. whose front was protected
BY farm lands and marshy ground.
Later in the afternoon the enemy
had enough Of this encounter and
withdrew their advanced forces to the
other side Of Louvain. A Belgian pa.
troll which pushed its way cautiously
forward found the town deserted by
the enemy.
Owing to the fear that they might
be outnanked IL they held on the Bel.
CLANS in the afternoon received imper-
alive orders to evacuate their posi-
ton.
ITO prevent its being cut OF the
force holding Wavre was also ordered
to carry out q simultaneous retire.
ment."
Fighting at Tlrismont.
The fighting at Tirlemont ID de.
scribed by the Ostend correspondent Of
the Express, who says he witnessed
1t from a church tower at Tirlemont.
Until lunch time on Tuesday," he
says. "Tirlemont was quiet and nor.
NAL. Suddenly about one o'clock
came the sound Of the first German
gun. The artillery had opened IRE.
From the church 1t was possible
to see distinctly the position of the
German guns and the bursting Of their
shells. The Belgians replied from
their positions east of Louvain.
Wheat Fields Torn Up.
1T was a striking sight to the &C.
compartment of the ceaseless thud.
thud Of bursting shells, with their
puffs Of cottonlike smoke, tearing up
the peaceful wheat fields not far away.
s'Graduslly working nearer, the
shells began to strike the houses In
ffirlemont This was signal for the
populace, which heretofore had been
confident the Belgian army would pro.
tect them. to fly blindly and unrea-
soningly. All they knew was that the
Germans were coming.
From the tower the scene was like
the rushing Of rats from q disturbed
nest. The people fed in every direc.
ton except one.
"The firing was heavy. The wounded
began to come in. Riderless horses
came along, both German and Bel.
gian. These were caught and mount.
ed by civilians glad to have SO rapid
mode Of escape.
Belgian Woman Leads Retreat.
II remember watching q black-clad
Belgian woman running straight down
the middle Of road away from the
Germans. Behind her came the retir-
ing Belgian troops, disheartened but
valiant. This woman, clad in mourn.
ing, was the symbol Of the Beleian
populace.
"At some Of the barbados along
the route the refugees and soldiers
arrived simultaneously, making the
defense difficult. All about Tirlemont
and Louvain the refugees continually
interfered with the work of the troops.
The road to Brussels always was
crowded with refugees"