The Retreat of the 800
By Captain ---- of the 14th Line Regiment
Among the episodes of the war, there is one which, thanks to the
brilliant result obtained, deserves mention in the glorious pages of
our history. It is the retreat carried out by two infantry battalions,
the one of the 34th Line Regiment, and the other belonging to the
fortress. The episode occurred eight days after the occupation of
Liége by the German troops when the place appeared to be completely
invested. The 1st Battalion of the 34th Line Regiment, after organising
the defence works of Werihet, in the Barchon-Pontisse sector, was
sent during the morning of August 4th, to the Embourg-Chaudfontaine
interval, with the mission to defend the valley of the Vesdre, in case
of any attacks on the Vesdre road or on the Ninane road. Retrenchments
were quickly constructed, ditches dug, and quantities of sacks of
earth piled up. In short, the interval was soon transformed into
a regular fortress. The Commander, on hearing that the enemy was
advancing on Liége and had sent out reconnaissances in the direction
of Chaudfontaine, ordered a patrol to explore the Rochette wood to
the north-east of the Fort. This patrol returned towards four in the
afternoon, bringing Baron von Zutfen, Lieutenant of the 2nd Chasseurs
of Ziethen, as prisoner. This feat was cheered, and it was with lively
curiosity that our soldiers gathered round the first German prisoner.
The order to retreat given, on August 6th, to the troops fighting in
the intervals round the Liége position did not affect this Battalion,
so that all day long, on August 5th, 6th, and 7th, the men were
employed in completing the defence of the valley. During the morning
of August 8th, the news spread that German troops had entered Liége.
Measures were immediately taken for repulsing any aggression from
the town side. It was hoped that, even if the enemy had succeeded in
penetrating, it might only have been by forcing the Fléron, Evegnée,
and Barchon intervals. If this were the case, though, the situation was
critical for the Belgian Corps, and the Commander was surprised that
he had received no instructions. From another side, persistent rumours
were afloat, announcing the arrival of the campaigning army through
Waremme, reinforced by a French contingent. What were we to believe?
Messengers sent to General Leman did not return and the days passed by
in anxious waiting. Every instant we had news to the effect that the
circle was getting more and more hard pressed. Officers and soldiers
were anxiously wondering whether they would be able to hold out. On
the 10th, 11th, and 12th, there had already been various skirmishes
between detachments of the enemy who had made use of the Red Cross
flag in order to approach, and patrols of a company in retrenchment on
the Vesdre road, near the second milestone. A few enemy prisoners were
taken.
On the 12th, at 4.30 P.M., a terrible bombarding of the Chaudfontaine
Fort commenced, which never ceased until 9.30. The following morning
at five o'clock, the cannonading recommenced most violently, the Fort
was blown up, and the enemy surrounding it rushed from every side to
the assault. The Embourg Fort met with the same fate. Finally on the
morning of the 13th, towards nine o'clock, a courier arrived at Château
Nagelmackers, where the Commander was staying, with an order from
General Leman calling for the troops at Awans.
Just as the 2nd Company, which had been guarding the Chaudfontaine and
Ninane roads, was setting out, it was surrounded by an enemy column
and taken prisoner. The two remaining companies climbed the hill and
reached the Henne Château and the Basse-Mehagne farm. On arriving
there, the 1st Company, which formed the rear-guard and was being
attacked on its flank by a detachment coming from Chênée, executed a
helter-skelter firing on the adversary, whose shooting gradually became
less and less intense. Finally, the enemy retreated, so that the little
Belgian column was able to continue its march towards Embourg, where
it rejoined the 3rd Company as well as a fortress battalion, which
was also without instructions and was endeavouring to escape. These
various troops, after crossing the Ourthe, some in little boats and
others by a chance footbridge thrown across the river opposite Rousseau
Island, climbed the Sart-Tilman, keeping by the Boncelles Fort, which
was already being watched by the enemy, passed through the village in
ruins, driving back the sentinel occupying the Vecquée woods and, just
escaping a cavalry detachment, finally reached the Communes.
Our poor soldiers were thoroughly exhausted; they had been overpowered
by the heat and tortured by hunger and thirst. Fortunately the
population, although somewhat taken aback by their arrival, did all in
its power to supply them with provisions.
The retreat then continued in the direction of the Val St. Lambert
bridge, which, according to information received, was being guarded
by about a score of men. Although obstructed by a train and various
accessory defences, it could still be crossed in Indian file. All
measures were taken for a bayonet attack and, in the middle of the
night, our men advanced silently. To their amazement there was no one
there. What had become of the troops which had charge of the defence of
the bridge? Had they made off? This remained a mystery. The crossing
of the bridge took some time, but the men were encouraged by this
incident and the column set off once more, passing through Flémalle and
Mons-Crotteux. After a most difficult march, beset by ambushes of all
kinds, it finally arrived at Awans-Bierzet, on August 14th, at about
2.30. It took up its quarters here, whilst awaiting orders from General
Leman. The enemy had been seen in the neighbourhood, so that the roads
were guarded and urgent measures of security were taken. Various
incidents took place before the end of the day and German detachments,
which were approaching the Loncin Fort, had to be dispersed, causing us
some losses.
From information received from various sources, we gathered that the
enemy was endeavouring to cut off the retreat. In case this were so,
there was nothing left but to fight to the last man. The soldiers and
their officers were very much troubled, as they feared they had not
rendered all the services to their country which it had a right to
expect from its defenders. The bombarding of the Loncin Fort began at 3
P.M. and increased rapidly in intensity.
To those military men who had been present at the fall of
Chaudfontaine, it seemed certain that Loncin would share the same fate.
There appeared to be only one thing to do and that was to join, at all
costs, the fighting army, certain elements of which were then in the
Huy suburbs. After such intense nervous excitement as they had just
undergone, after so much fighting and such long marches, the men were
exhausted. Thanks to the rousing words of their chiefs and to their own
earnest wish to avoid falling into the hands of the enemy, they decided
to make a supreme effort in order to escape from the vice, the jaws
of which were gradually closing round them. The posts were withdrawn
silently, between 8 and 9 P.M., and the column, assembled behind the
church, was prepared to take its fate into its hands. The commanders
of the Hollogne and Flémalle Forts were informed that friendly troops
would soon be passing within their zone of action, in an attempt to
join the army in campaign.
A somewhat extraordinary itinerary was chosen, in order to avoid the
most frequented roads. The column was to go from Awans-Bierzet to
Hollogne, Mons-Crotteux, Horion-Hozémont, Haneffe, Chapon-Seraing,
Villers-le-Bouillet, and Huy. In spite of fatigue, which made this
night march excessively difficult, not a single man dragged behind, not
a single one fell out. Each one of them was determined to carry out
the plan decided on. In the early dawn, the column was within sight of
Haneffe, which was evidently in the power of the enemy, as a platoon
of Uhlans was to be seen patrolling the country round. Fortunately this
was not an important detachment and, after a feeble resistance, it was
driven out of the village.
The Belgian troop continued its march southwards. At seven o'clock, it
surprised a flank guard of the same cavalry bivouacking in a field. At
a distance of about five hundred yards, the elements at the head of the
column opened fire and the Uhlans, without even having time to mount,
took flight in all directions. They were impeded by their riding boots
and spurs. Some of them stumbled and fell and, on getting up, started
off faster than before. This excited our men to hurry along in pursuit
of them. Two of the least agile of the horsemen were caught and taken
prisoners. The horses took fright, broke loose, and galloped all over
the country. The sight would have amused us if it had not been for the
dead and wounded who were lying on the ground.
The valiant little troop now continued its way in the direction of
Chapon-Seraing, where the soldiers had refreshments and then went on
to Villers-le-Bouillet, which was to have been the end of their trying
march, as, according to our latest information, the 28th Line Regiment
was there. Once more we were to have a cruel disappointment, as, on
arriving, we found that the troops which had been occupying the village
had left the previous evening.
Fortunately Huy was only five miles distant. Another effort was made,
and slowly, with bleeding feet, exhausted by fatigue and half dead
with hunger and thirst, the soldiers, leaning on sticks which they had
torn from the trees on the way, dragged themselves along the dusty
horse-road. This last stage of the journey, although the shortest, was
the most painful of any. When once we had reached Huy, there was still
another disappointment. The 28th had left the town at midnight. From
the heights which dominate the left bank of the Meuse, could be seen
enemy patrols. From one minute to another, strong enemy forces might
appear. The men were terribly exhausted. In spite of the overwhelming
heat, they had marched for sixteen hours at a time, during two days.
The question was would they have strength enough to start again and
to continue their march as far as Couthuin, where the 28th had gone?
At the station there was neither an engine nor a waggon. After some
parleying, however, the station-master of Huy-Statte succeeded in
getting a train from Namèche and, at 12.30, the column set out by rail
for Namur.
In spite of the extreme fatigue of these brave men, it would be
impossible to give an idea of the joy depicted on all their faces.
Nothing could prove the determination of each one of them to escape the
enemy better than the result obtained by this supreme effort. Not one
of those who left Awans on the night of the 14th had fallen out of the
column. Every man of the little phalanx answered to the roll-call at
Namur. At the College de la Paix, where they were all quartered, the
doctors soon dressed their bleeding feet.
Thanks to their force of character, to their exceptional powers of
endurance, and to their extraordinary courage, these heroes escaped a
humiliating captivity. A few days later, they were to be seen once more
on the battle-fields of Antwerp and of the Yser, fighting desperately
with the enemy, and ready again to sacrifice their lives for their
country.