Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1918-08-08
CHAPTER m-continued.


The same evening we were trans
ported in automobiles and on the eve
ming of August 20, 1914, we reached
our detachment, which was about 35
miles from the Belgian city of Neuve
Chateau. The regiment to which be-
longed did not take part in any opera
lions after the fall of Liege, but was
transported to this part of Belgium.
Now / learn for the first time how
heavy was the loss in my company in
the Liege fighting. We lost 1877 men in
dead and wounded.
This night we slept in an open field.
At five O'Clock the next morning we
marched again until four o'clock in
the afternoon, when we were given
rest
1t was about ten O'Clock in the eve
ming when we received orders to, ad-
vance. We were all ready to proceed
when another order came for us to re-
main at our bivouac overnight. Dur
ing the night we heard laundering of
cannon which became more violent.
The battle of Neuve Chateau, which
had continued from August % to Au-
gust "a, 1914 had begun.
At four o'clock on the morning OF
August % we resumed our march AT
Neuye Chateau the French army had
encountered the Fourth German army.
First there was, as always, minor out
post and patrol fighting. By and by
larger masses Of troops participated.
and as we took our part in the battle
on the evening of August %. the fight
had developed into one of the most
sanguinary of the world war.
When we arrived the French occu-
pied almost three-quarters of the town.
The artillery had set the main part of
Neuve Chateau on fire and only the
beautiful residence section in the west
ern part of the city escaped at that
time. All night long the house-to-
house fighting continued, but when at
noon of August % the city was in Ger
man hands the enormous cost to the
Germans could finally be determined.
Residences, cellars, streets and side
walks were heaped with dead and
wounded. The houses were in ruins
empty shells, in which hardly anything
remained unchanged that was of any
real value. Thousands became beg
CARS in one terrible night. Women and
children, soldiers and citizens were ~
ing where the pitiless shells and bull
lets had hurled them from life into
deaths dark void True impartiality
reigned in the killing. There was
Belgian woman lying next to a Belgian
baby which she had borne from house
to street. Close by lay a man of UNI
certain years before an empty house.
Both his legs were burned to the
knees. His wife lay on his breast and
sobbed so pitifully that her grief could
not be endured. Most of the dead
were entirely or partly burned. The
cries of agony of the animals fighting
incineratfon were mixed with the
groans and sobbing of the wounded.
But no one had time to bother with
them. The French were making an
other stand outside the city in an open
field As the enemy vacated the town
the Germans made an error which cost
them hundreds of lives. They had oc-
cupied the entire town so quickly that
the German artillery which she1led a
part of the city did not know of the
change in the situation and threw
shells into the ranks of the infantry.
Finally our soldiers were compelled to
give up some of their gains by the
pressure of our own as well as the
French fire. but regained this ground
afterwards. Strangely enough. the
had not suffered seriously. All the
houses few the Red Cross and were
used as temporary hospitals.
Here it was reported that Belgians
mutilated German soldiers. Whether
this were true, or only rumor. similar
to others beng constantly started by
German soldiers. / cannot say, but
do know that on August "a. after the
French W
known through an army order that
German soldiers had been murdered
there, and that the German army could
not leave the scene of these outrages
without first avenging the victims.
1t was ordered by the commander
Of the army to level the remainder of
the city and to show no mercy. As we
took a short rest from our pursuit of
the enemy and looked backward clouds
Of su,oke to the eastward shewed that