Tombstone epitaph., 1918-08-11
CHAPTER u.
CONTINUED from last week.

went to Aix-laCharpelle to a hos
pital met many more wounded men
who had fought In Belgium. Ali were
of the opinion that the Belgian dead
numbered as many civilians as SOL
diers. Even II the German soldiers
who Tough; in Belgium do not admit
the cruelties committed against the
Beigians, it cannot be denied that al
least 50 per cent of the cruelties
known TO the world TO have been com
mitied In Belgium were only too true.
A young soldier who lay next 10 me
In the hospital told me that his com
pany. during street fight Ia Lie-e,
was given orders 10 kill everybody
without discrimination. Systemat.cal-
ly. one house after another was set on
fire. The inhabitants either fell in the
flames or became the victims in the
streets 10 tine gun barrels OF the Ger
man kulturb bearers.
AT the time ! doubted the words Of
my neighbor, even though l had seen
what German warfare meant. After
few days ! was released from the
hospital and again restored TO my de-
tachmen,. Partly by auto. partly by
foot. i reached my detachment by ten
O'Clock in the evening. our transport
moved this time over Trier To Luxem-
burg. The little grand duchy Of Lux
emburg was oyerrun entirely by Ger
man soldiers. The Germans who had
made their homes in Luxembourg had
everything taken away from .heIn, es-
pecialy the farmers, all food. without
thought OF payment. so that in Luxem-
burg at this time there was a shortage
Of food. The people here as well as
in Belgium were very friendly, yet they
harbored terrible bitterness against
the German government. which had
loosed its troops like band of robbers
and nurderers over their peaceful
country.
Belgium and Luxembourg, the two
FIRST unhappy victims Of the damnable
German politics and its drunkenness
with power.
3 That the Luxembourg citizens detest-
ed Germany an incident showed me
which happened in the village Of Mar
moth We were in a friendly CONVEX
sation with a Luxembourg farmer. Two
officers approached and listened. One
officer, captain. asked the Luxem-
burger. What do you think Of the
war, end of the quickness of Germany:
There is only one Germany, isn't
there:"
YES" -epAed the farmer Thank
the Lord"
For those four words the farmer
was arrested a; once and transported
to Germany as court prisoner.
could never learn what became OF
him.
The same evening We we're trans-
ported in automobiles and on the eve
ming of August ~. 1914, We reached
our detachment. which Was about 50
miles from the Belgian city of Seuve
Chateau. The regiment 10 which be
ionged did not take part In any opera
tons after the fall of Liese, bst was
Transported 10 this part of Belgium
Now ! learn for the first time how
heavy wa- the loss in my company in
the Liece fighting We lost lS7 men IN
dead and wounded.
This night we slept In an open field.
Al FIVE O'Clock the next morning we
marched again until four O'Clock in
the afternoon. when we were given
rest.
II was about ten O'Clock in the eve
ming when we received orders to ad-
vance We were ali 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-
gus. "a. 1914. had begun.
At four O'Clock on the morning OF
August - we resumed our march. At
Neuve 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. Ali night long the house-to-
house fighting continued, but when at
noon of August q the city was ir Ger
man hands the enormous cost TO the
Germans corld 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 IT,
ing where the pitiless shells and bul-
lets had hurled them from life into