, and the forethought with which the Germans took
advantage of every form of gun cover, apparently little execution was
dealt upon the enemy. However, the Belgians claimed to have silenced two
of the German pieces.

In the darkness of this historic night of August 4, 1914, the flames of
the fortress guns pierced the immediate night with vivid streaks. Their
searchlights swept in broad streams the wooded slopes opposite. The
cannonade resounded over Liege, as if with constant peals of thunder. In
the city civilians sought the shelter of their cellars, but few of the
German shells escaped their range upon the forts to disturb them.

This exchange of artillery went on until near daybreak of August 5,
1914, when infantry fire from the woods to the right of Fort Embourg
apprised the defenders that the Germans were advancing to the attack.
The Germans came on in their customary massed formation. The prevalent
opinion that in German tactics such action was employed to hearten the
individual soldier, was denied by their General Staff. In their opinion
an advantage was thus gained by the concentration of rifle fire. Belgian
infantry withstood the assault, and counterattacked. When dawn broke, a
general engagement was in progress. About eight o'clock the Germans were
compelled to withdraw.

[Illustration: Beginning of German Invasion of Belgium.]

The first engagement of the war was won by the Belgians. It was reported
that the Belgian fire had swept the Germans down in thousands, but this
was denied by German authorities. Up to this time the German forces
before Liege were chiefly Von Kluck's vanguard under Von Emmich, his
second line of advance, and detachments of Von Buelow's army. On the
Belgian side no attempt was made to follow up the advantage. The reason
given is that the Germans were seen to be in strong cavalry force, an
arm lost totally in the military complement of Liege. The German losses
were undoubtedly severe, especially in front of Fort Barchon. This was
one of the major forts, triangular in shape, and surrounded by a ditch
and barbed wire entanglements. The armament of these major forts had
recently been reenforced by night, secretly, with guns of heavier
caliber from Antwerp. As they outmatched the German field pieces of the
first attack, presumably the German Intelligence Department had failed
in news of them. An armistice requested by the Germans to gather in the
wounded and bury the dead was refused. Ther