Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1915-06-25

and potatoes and all sorts OF Things II
our enemies? Is it not directly help
ing this heinous plan when you le
yourselves be dictated to by the Eng
lish as to what is contraband ant
what is not, as to where ships flying
your flag can go and where not, as tc
what we are to be permitted to sent
over to you in America and what not
why don't you do something
Why do you endure everything meek
ly? Why have you the Bible in one
hand and a bomb in the other; your
pocketbook in your breast instead OF
in your pocket?
For years I have had most pleas.
ant relations with America. have
always admired your country, espe-
cially on account Of your spirit Of jus.
tice. When two men fight in Ger
many with rapiers, third party is
forbidden to strike up either Of the
weapons as long as the fight is honor.
ably conducted. Is not our fight with
our enemies just that? When we
have disarmed our foe, you come
along and give him a new weapon, q
better one than he had before and you
call that neutrality"
His Rise from Obseurity.
So much for the Mackensen of 1915
His earlier record gave abundant pres
age of the ability and daring which
were eventually to put him at the
head of hundreds Of thousands Of men
in some of the greatest fights in which
men ever engaged.
Observation-Disclosures Won MackenSen
is his full name-was born December
6, 1S49. at Haus-Leipnitz near Schmi-
edeberg. in the kingdom Of Saxony.
His father was a country squire. Just
before his Goth birthday young Mack
ensen served his second year with the
colors, in the I'd Hussar Body Guard,
one of the most famous in Germany.
While there, the Franco-German war
began and the boy went to the front
with the regiment in the humble ca
pacity of "Vice Wachtmeister."
He soon gave proof of remarkable
skill and resourcefulness as a leader
Of scouting parties and was intrusted
with important and highly perilous
missions.
On August S, 1870, he was ordered
to take small detachment Of hussars
and make a reconnaissance in the di-
rection of Worth, where one Of the big
battles Of the war was fought. Mack
ensen reached the outskirts and found
that bridge across a river giving ac-
cess to the village had been destroyed;
only the posts were left standing. He
managed to crawl from one to anoth-
er of these posts, crept stealthily into
the village, and found it filled with
zouaves. They opened fire on the in
truder and he had hard time getting
back over the river and into his own
lines.
At Toury, in France, on October s,
1870, there was piece of scouting to
be done that looked like certain death
to those attempting it. Prince AL
brecht, the Prussian commander, call
ed for volunteers.
Mackensen stepped forward. So
did other daring spirits. Mackensen
was placed in command of four of
them and he set off. He got within
the French lines and found out what
was wanted. Then the five men scat
tered and started back.
Daring in War of 1870
Over and over again Mackensen had
to hide from squads Of French soldiers
or else disarm the suspicious of peas
ants-once he did this by covering his
Prussian helmet and uttering a few
words in French to a group, who went
their way never suspecting that they
had to do with one Of the invaders.
But after while the youths Ella
tion at having escaped so many dan
gers got the better of his prudence
and, meeting a French soldier, he
shouted "Vive la Prusse!" at the top
of his lungs and dashed past. The
Frenchman fired. other French SOL
diers appeared, and it looked as If it
was all up with Mackensen. But by
furious riding he got away and burst
into the Prussian lines with his pre-
cious information about the enemy,
after he had been pretty we'll given up
for lost Prince Albrecht himself
stepped forward to meet him and ex-
claimed:
You have given an example to your
comrades Of which they and you
should be proud" The daring scout
was then commanded to dine at the
princes table, where he was obliged
to tell the story of his adventure from
first to last to an admiring group of
his superiors.
A few weeks later he received the
Iron Cross.
Another exciting adventure occurred
at Dannemois, when a sergeant of the
~ iiuoSoiS, ny ldllle blleSeneT, nav
ing just seen his lieutenant, Won Horn,
killed in fight with an ambushed de-
tachment of Frenchmen, rallied a few
huSsars, among them young Macken-
sen. and charged the enemy's position,
thirsting to avenge the young officer.
The charge carried them into the vii
lage of DannemOis. where there was q
hand-to-hand fight with the French,
who defended themselves with the ut
most bravery. But the hussars, calling
to each other that their officer must
be avenged, drove the foe through the
streets and fields and vineyards, until
finally not single one was left alive
That fight had an interesting sequel
Some years later young Mackensen
fell in love with and married the sister
of that Lieutenant Won Horn whose
death had aroused his comrades to
make such an irresistible attack on
those who had caused his death.
After marching with the German
armies to Paris and seeing William OF
Prussia crowned German emperor
Mackensen entered upon the LONG
wears of neaca which wara m ipfar,