The Elbert County tribune., 1914-11-06
AMID SHRAPNEL FIRE WRITER SEES
FIERCE CONFLICT ON THE USER RIVER
By EDGAR ANsEL MowRER.

w est r iduutIss btibluu.-TO OF inoic
than a week have been at the head
quarters OF the Belgian army behind
the line OF the River User from Nieu-
port to Dixmude. have seen how
the remnants OF the army from Ant
werp retreating on the way to Ostend
were sent to northern France to rest
and reorganize and how the rest of
the Belgian forces. being asked to hold
the lines ~ hours, have actually held
1t for six days. thus preventing siege
of Dunkirk and saving the French
coast from invasion.
Stick to Antwerp to Last.
Contrary to what was at first report
ed, the Belgian army left. Antwerp only
after all the forts except four had been
destroyed, and these four the defend
ers blew up as they hastily evacuated
the town, the heroic Belgian. General
de Guisel remaining to the last. What
part OF the retreating Belgians en-
tered Holland and are held by Dutch
authorities is not known here.
1t is certain that the others never
would have escaped the Germans but
for the heroic stand made by mixed
force of English, Belgians and French
marines in the village of nellie. south
west of Ghent, wherein two Belgian
regiments-the Sixth volunteers and
the Ninth of the line-particularly dis
tinguished themselves.
Walks From Dunklrk to France.
reached Furnes October 16, hav-
Ing walked from Dunklrk, l crossed
bridge, reached village street and
after two turnings emerged on the
quaint old market place of Furnes, the
home and present seat OF the general
headquarters OF the Belgian army. l
went at once TO the headquarters in
the town hall, made known my iden-
tty and secured a pass
Standing before the headquarters
was an automobile containing three
British soldiers. l approached and
asked the nearest one where the Ger
mans were. He looked at me with
astonishment and before replying or
letting me explain who l was and why
had come, he exclaimed: Good
Lord, Have they let you come this
far? Well, since you are here, 1t can
do no harm to tell you where they
are" He drew a map from his pocket.
Here they are" he said, laying a
finger on the village of Middlekirke.
Our line extends from Nieuport to
Dixmude. The Belgians are intrench-
Ing themselves all along the line"
Starts Out for Nieuport.
thanked the soldiers and set out to
walk to Nieuport. On the outskirts
of Furnes l passed regiment of Bel
gians starting for Dixmude. l turned
to the left in the direction of Nieuport,
but at the vlIlpge OF Wulpun l was
turned back IN overpolite Belgian
sergeant.
That night I heard a terrible can
nonading. and Saturday morning. Oc-
tober IT, learned that the battle of
the User had begun. This battle.
which has not yet come to an end. It.
self is only part of the greater bat
tie of which 1t is likely to be the
center. Small though it is In the num-
ber of troops engaged, the battle Of
the User presents three distinct
phases, according to the nature of the
ground.
About eight miles east of Furnes lies
the town of Dixmude. where the attack
began. The Belgians here had been
REINFORCED by 5000 French marine In
fantry, these marines forming the first
line of defense, 400 yards beyond the
town and on the right bank of the
User. The Germans attacked with
great violence about nine o'clock Fri
day evening. Marines who figured in
the battle estimate their opponents
strength at 10000. The attack cont'u-
ued until daybreak on Saturday, when
the marines. ably assisted by French
and Belgian batteries placed behind
the town, drove back the onslaught
with considerable loss.
Reaches the Belgian Trenches.
When / reached the Belgian bat
teries and trenches about eleven a. m
Saturday the former were keeping up
a steady fire. Some of the Belgians
lying in the trenches which had been
the second line of defense tried to de-
ter me from continuing farther, as
the shrapnel fire was rather heavy at
this point. but proceeded until
reached about one klometer (six-
tenth OF a mile) on this side OF the
town A Belgian lieutenant previous
ly had given me permission to go one
klometer beyond the town to po-
sition which, as learned later. would
have put me exactly between the op-
posing forces and in full line with
the rifle fire.
Escapes shrapneI Of Germans.
turned aside and approached a
church in the midst of small village
All the morning the booming of the
far away German cannon had been
audible, but 1t seemed without impor-
tance. Now had my first experience