The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1914-11-05
BELGIUM LONG
A BATTLE-GROUND
Country Is Gateway Between
Powerful Nations.
ITS INDEPENDENCE UPHELD.
~ Nstisa Would Ever Allow Another
- Cain Control Of Strategic Point
IN Tiaps Of War-Soms Of the Pa
ssess Battles Fought on Belgian Soil.
preaninent Place In History.

IN 1iape Of War-Some Of the "a.
sse~s Battles Fought on Belgian Soil.
presninsnk Place In History.
DgUnos6.-Look at the map Of cont
nsatal Esrepe, and it can readily be
oeen why Belgium has been the the
ater Of European wars from the time
q Caesars invasion and even before.
Nspographcally and geographically it
Terms 4 natural gateway. No wonder
England. France and Germany al
ways have been Jealous over the pos
sessko1 Of Belgium. The nation that
possesses Belgium would have every
advantage In an international conflict.
4 - due mainly to this very Jealousy
1Aat Belgium has remained an indie
Doa1eot state. III can't have 1t, you
can't" has been the attitude Of each
power. So Belgium. small and weak
- It appeared to be. has enjoyed ex-
tassainary independence. and nations
have vied with each other to win her
hieadsAip. so valuable is it esteemed
IN wartime. Today, as often in the
past, events that are to decide the fu-
ture Of Dsrope are Transporting in Bel
Gaum.,
In Belgium was fought the battle of
Waterloo July 49, 1915. On the same
day was fought the battle Of Wavre.
Won by the French. As it was. how
ever, Greuchy's victory was useless
he might have saved the day for Ma
poleon had he arrived at Waterloo in
time.
The battle Of Ligny was fought in
Belgium, June 16. 1916. just two days
before the battle Of Waterloo. That
was NapOleon's last victory.
On the same day on Belgian soil
was fought the battle of Quatre Bras.
won by the British and allies. but their
success was rendered fruitless by the
Prussian reverse at Ligny.
The battle of Jemmapes. Nov. 4.
1872. between the French and Aus.
TRANS was one Of the most important
Of the French revolution. 1t was fol-
lowed by the annexation Of the Aus.
TRAN Netherlands to France.
Fonteney. fought May II. 1745, in
the war Of the Austrian succession.
resulted in victory for the French
over. the combined forces of the Brit
ish, Dutch and Austrians. 1t was the
last victory Of France.
Oudenarde. fought July II, 170S, re-
suited in the defeat of the French by
the English and Imperialists. 1t was
one Of the great victories of MARI
borough and Prince Eugene over Louis
XIV.
Families, fought May 70, 1908, was Il
victory for the English and allies over
the French. and was followed by the
of the Netherlands.
Ncerwinden. July "a, 1893. in the
wars Of Louis XIV. resulted in Il
brilliant victory for the French over
the English.
Ostend was the scene Of one OF the
most memorable sieges in history. 1t
lasted from July. 1901. to September.
1904. and cost many thousands Of
lives. 1t was in the war of the liberia
don Of the Netherlands. The siege
ended In the surrender Of the fortress
to the Spanish under Spinola. but the
Spaniards lost upward Of 10000 men
Scarcely a house In the town was left
standlag.
The siege Of Maestricht lasted from
March u to Juno %. 1879. and resulted
n H. saPture Of the city by the Span
ihrds,, WAe massacred 1900 men. won.
. and children. Maestricht has been
IL soeae Of several other disastrous
condicoa ..e
Antwerp likewise has been the scene
Of conflicts. In 1867 an engagement
between the local German and Spanish
troops resulted in the death Of 10000
persons and the surrender of the cit
adel by the citizens. In 1888 the citi-
zens defeated an attempted seizure Of
the city by the Duke Of AnjOu. On
aug, il, 1855. the citadel cGpitI.atct
after q thirteen months Siege one Of
the. most eventfu in history. to the
Duke. Of Parma. Spanish viceroy Of the
Netherlands. Tie citadel was captured
IN 1746 and 1902 by the French: III
1873 by the Austrlans: in 1894 Ivy the
French. In 1900 BOuaImrte protected
The city against Lord Chatham's at
tempt to destroy the port and the forts.
h 1914 It was defended against the
English by Garnet and surrendered
OnH after the conclusion Of peace. May
s. In 1890 during the Belgian revolu.
ton the city was bombarded from the
citadel b. the Dutch General Chasse.
who finally was forced to surrender his
stronghold Dec. %. 1897. after siege
By a French army Of $1,000 men under
Marshal Gerard. This ended the con-
test with Holland. and on Dec. 30.
1892. the citudeI. almost wholly de.
strOyed by the bombardment. was &C.
cupied By the Belgium troops.
Wanted Head a. Souvenir.
PaPis.-A TurkO soldier brought back
from enc Of the engagements with the
Germans the head Of on" Of the enemy.
WheB the officers ordered It taken
away from him and buried the Turko