The Irish standard., 1915-01-09
Notes on the War
The Belgian Diary Of an American.
Belgian Diary of An American

NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
The Belgian Diary Of an American.
(By E. A. Cantrell, in N. Y. Globe.)
Bedford Square, London, Sept. 81
1t was about two kilometres and a
half to Gramont from where the driver
was shot and the uhlan stuck a pistol
under my nose. The firing died down,
and by the time we got into the town
things were pretty quiet, the Belgians
having retreated over toward Gamar.
age.
Gramont had been all shot to pieces.
There were dead here and there, both
peasants and soldiers, and probably
half the buildings were in ruins. I
led the horse into the courtyard of a
little inn.
The landlord lay dead on the floor
The Germans had got some casks of
beer up from the cellar, drunk what
they wanted, and left the spigots run.
ming. The floor was covered with
blood and beer. Mrs. Cantrell was
trembling. led her past the dead
man and put her in chair in one
corner, facing the wall, and told her
not to look around.
Just as stepped to the door 1 saw
a Belgian soldier, most likely a
straggler, run into the street from
somewhere. He knelt down and be-
gan to fire up the road along which
we had just come. He shot twice and
then fell over dead.
Way up the road there was a party
of fifty or more uhlans. They had
halted at the firing, and a detail of
eleven men was coming back. They
were dismounted and while they came
cautiously down the road saw an
other Belgian soldier sneak up to a
house on the opposite side of the
street.
The house was in ruins. The SOL
der looked around and then went up
to chicken coop in sort of yard
and called softly
Marie! Marie!"
A young woman and a couple of
children popped out of the chicken
coop. 1t seems that he had left his
command at Gamarage and taken a
chance of running against the Ger
mans In order to see his family.
In two or three minutes he started
to go, but instead of cutting across the
fields he stepped out to the road. He
saw the eleven Germans coming.
That Belgian marched out to the
middle of the road, cool and DELHI
crate, and opened fire. He got three
of the uhlans and was wounded once
himself before they got to him. By
that time he had toppled over, but
there was lots of fight left in him. The
Germans went at him with bayonets
and gun butts. but he fought and
fought. It seemed as though they
never could kill him. Finally he lay
still. His wife and children went
screaming across the fields.
went into the courtyard and found
that the horse was ill. So with Mrs.
Cantrell, Bunco, and two bags l set
out to walk to Gamarage, about two
kilometres. It began to rain.
In Gamarage we found little two
car train just ready to start for Client.
Scores were trying to get on board and
it was everybody for himself.
Finally we succeeded in getting into
a third-class compartment. The two
wooden benches on each side were
crowded and every bit of standing
room was taken.
Nothing happened until about 4
o'clock, when we drew in to Nellie,
on the outskirts of Client. There was
street fighting there.
The train had been making long
stops at intervals and it had been
raining off and on. In nellie the train
stopped and we could look off across
the railroad yards to where a street
ran parallel with the tracks. 1t was
not very far away and you could see
the faces Of the soldiers plainly.
The Germans were advancing slowly
down the street, driving the Belgians,
who would make stand against big
odds, scamper around a block, make
another stand, and repeat. Every
time a man fell a priest would run
out from cover of the houses, regard.
less of the bullets that ricochetted
through the puddles in the street. If
the man were dead the priest would
go back, If not he would raise his arm
as a signal to the Red Cross stretcher-
bearers. Those priests are brave men.
On the tail end of one retreat, Just
as the Belgians were going around
corner. we saw a soldier drop behind
little. His wife was running along
on the sidewalk carrying baby. They
seemed to be talking to each other.
The Germans were gaining, but Just
as he reached the corner the little
Belgian dropped on one knee to fire
and his wife stopped. Before he could
shoot they got him. He toppled over
and his rife went off in mud puddle.
The woman ran into the street and
reached down, holding the baby on
one arm. She pulled the BELGIAN I'm.