The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-09-11
The Kaiser's Army Poured Over
the Belgian Border
And Into Gaul Like Q River at
Flood Tide.
It SPREAD OUT LIKE 4 FAN
Swept Everything Before II
With Little Resistance.
The Invading Force Numbered
Over 100000 Men.

London. Sept. ia correspondent OF
the Associated Press, who has been
through Belgium, sends a long message
from Rotterdam which was rather
heavily censored throughout but which
appears to be an account of the in
vasion OF Belgium obtained from a Ger
man point of view. Something was
deleted at the beginning. The story
follows:
From Brussels the German army
poured over Southern Belgium into
France like flood tide. spreading like
a fan in the directions of Be""-,nnt.
Naubeuge, Mons and Lille, joining in
south Of Belgium with other army corps
proceeding from Gembloux, Dinant and
Givet, totalling 40 army corps or over
million and half men.
'They went over the French border
without serious resistance, the French
scattering before them in great dis
order, leaving behind much war ma
terial and all sorts of personal equip
ment. their retreat extending as far as
the forest OF Normal in Northern
France.
Several rear guard actions occurred,
resulting in considerable losses to both
sides and bringing up the losses of the
Germans in Belgium to about fifty
thousand.
Many Skirmishes.
From the Binche country south
ward in the direction of Maubeuge in
Vulnerable skirmishes occurred from
Aug. % to Aug. 26. At Bray, just
west OF Binche, the French and Eng
fish were repulsed by the Germans
The French then retreated to Bonnie
Esperanto, where after another skir-
mish they fell back through Merbes
Saint Marie and Merbes-Le-Chateau,
10000 English retiring to -eumont at
the same ime.
engagements in tie vicinity of
Buissierre and Thuin constituted the
most determined resistance offered by
the allies.
AFTER two days continuous duel
which swept the surrounding country
and demolished almost every struc-
ture, the entire right wing of the al
lies withdrew far to the southwark.
This gave the Germans an oppor-
and approach Maubcuge from the
south.
meanwhile. the other corps had
approached Maubeuge from the north,
entirely investing the fortress. The
vnglish and French were, on Aug. %.
on the south bank of the river in a
80 mile front, fighting continued for
three days.
Went With a Rush.
'The correspondent first saw actual
firing in the direction Of Maubeuge on
August 20, when white puffs Of the
German shrapnel clouded the horizon,
but the forward movement Of the Ger
man columns was SO fast that when
the correspondent reached the scene
of the recent engagement the firing
line had advanced fully ten miles
southwark. An extensive trench sys-
tenn, laid out by the French infantry
marked the French retreat
1.-The German wounded in all cases
were Immediately cared for, the dead
buried as fast as the army continued
on the march. while the French dead
were left unburied and the wounded,
in some cases. remained on the bat
tlefield for three days before receiving
attention.
Large numbers Of the French
wounded were brought into Solre-Sur-
Sambre, from the surrounding woods
whittier many had dragged themselves
to escape. Every conceivable kind of
building such as chateau, school house
and inn was used as a hospital and
here the wounded received prompt at
tention, the French wounded being ac-
corred the same care as the German
wounded.
y "A large proportion Of the French