Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1914-12-31
RETIRED FIELD
MARSHA[F0LL0WS
\. ARMY OF KAISER
Aged Count Too Far Advanced
in Years 10 Take Command
but Insists on Being With
the Men.

fAssocistcd Press Correspondence)
Berlin, Dec. l0.--Old Count Haescl-
er, the retired field marshal, Is play
ing unique role in this war. Some
twenty years ago. military men, both
German and foreign. were accustomed
TO look 10 him as a leader OF Ger
many's armies in the event of war,
as he had acquired great reputation
as strategist. But the war did not
come In time to give him his great
opportunity. He had fought through
three wafs-against Denmark In 1864,
against Austria in 1866 and against
France I'm 1870. but he was then too
young TO attain high rank. and when
the present war broke out he was too
old to command an army. Though he
was approaching his seventy-ninth
year. he went To the kaiser, II is said,
and begged permission to accompany
the troops into France. pleading hui
morously that he had lost a rib there
in 1870 which he wanted to find.
Haeseler got the kaisers consent,
and for weeks he was following the
German armies. astonishing the SOL
diers with his utter contempt of dam
ger His former orderly, Arnold
~ a
some interesting stories about his dali
ly life with the old field marshal. 1t
has repeatedly occurred, says Rech-
berg. that the count has ridden in the
firing line of the infantry while max
ing an attack. The men were adj
vancing only by rushes and leaning
low TO the ground; but Haeseler
would ride calmly forward with his
attendant. the target of French rifles:
and at times he was even fired upon
by machine guns and cannon without
being hit. In this way a supersttious
tradition has found foothold among
the soldiers as to the old marshal be-
ing supernaturally bullet-proof.
Indifferent TO Shipping.
An incident illustrating his cool
daring. occurred in a certain battle
when he was approaching a village in
which the natives were firing upon
the Germans from their barred hous-
es. To the left and the right the
German lines were advancing Some
body warned MIN not to ride through
the village owing to the shipping go
ing on there: but he rode through
without getting scratch. Arrived at
the farther side he met a patrol un-
der a lieutenant coming back from a
reconnaissance: 'Comrade, i advise
you not to ride through this village;
the citizens are firing from their win
dows. and you would be In danger"
On another occasion the old gem
eral was watching from the edge of
wood a battle In which the Germans
were trying to dislodge the French
from a village which was strongly &C.
cupied. After time the firing from
the village ceased. but it was still UNI
certain whether the French had with
drawn. so 1t was decided to send for
ward a patrol When the patrol rode
into the village the first man it met
was Count Haeseler. accompanied by
his orderly and a French prisoner. He
had anticipated the patrol on the
guess that the French had left Both
he and the orderly were unarmed, but
when they saw French soldier lin
gering in the village, Haeseler gal
ening tone: You are my prisoner"
Whereupon the Frenehman threw
down his rifle, made a miitay salute,
and replied: Yes, my general"
In another battle he sat under
Ndfhht tftt ~ ttit tuBt VI flildbt
and watched the fighting with
group of officers around him. Sud
denly "a French shell dropped about
200 yards ahead of them, and a few
minutes later another only 100 yards
short. An officer was calling Haesel-
er's attention to this when third
shell fell only fifty yards away: two
more. gentlemen" remarked the old
''and they will hit the old wal
nut tree AS the party moved away
another shell exploded still nearer,
and u moment later the walnut tree
was squarely hit. II was soon ascer-
tained that the mayor of the village
was in telephone communication with
the French battery and was directing
its fire. The story does not tell what
was the fate of the mayor.
Despite his great age the count still
has remarkable endurance. 1t is
said that he has remained in the sad
die as much as fourteen hours day
In some parts of the present war. He
Is very abstemious in food and drink;
he lives chiefly from milk and eggs.
eating only a little meat; and he
drinks no alcohol whatever.