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A JOURNAL FROM OUR
LEGATION IN BRUSSELS
A large profusely illustrated ebook available in
PDF for download
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A JOURNAL FROM OUR LEGATION IN BELGIUM
BY HUGH GIBSON Secretary of the American Legation in Brussels
ILLUSTRATED FROM PHOTOGRAPHS
New York
GROSSET & DUNLAP Publishers
Copyright, 1917, by Doubleday, Page & Company
All rights reserved, including that of translation into foreign languages,
including the Scandinavian.
TO MY MOTHER
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Table of Contents
Introduction
A Journal From Our Legation In Belgium
July 1914
August 1914
September 1914
October 1914
November 1914
December 1914
The Case Of Miss Edith Cavell
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List of Illustrations
His Majesty, Albert, King of the Belgians
Facsimile of the first page of the German
ultimatum to Belgium (in the text)
Pass issued by the Belgian military authorities to
enable Mr. Gibson to enter the German Legation at Brussels
Maître Gaston de Leval, legal adviser to the
American Legation in Brussels
Her Majesty, Elizabeth, Queen of the Belgians
Mr. Brand Whitlock, American Minister to Belgium
German supply train entering Brussels
German infantry entering Brussels
German officers and soldiers were always ready to
oblige by posing for the camera
"Mit Gott für Kaiser und Reich"
Count Guy d'Oultremont
From left to right: Colonel DuCane, Captain
Ferguson and Colonel Fairholme
Pass issued by General von Jarotzky (in text)
Letter signed by Burgomaster Max requesting the
Belgian authorities to allow Mr. Gibson to pass (in text)
Boy Scouts at Belgian headquarters
Reading from left to right: a Belgian Staff
Officer, Colonel Fairholme, Colonel DuCane and Captain Ferguson
List of the civilians killed by the Germans
at Tamines on August 20, 1914
Entrance to the Rue de Diest, Louvain
The dead and the living.
A Belgian civilian and a German soldier
Pass issued by Field-Marshal von der Goltz (in
text)
A street in Louvain
Fixing on the white Flag for the dash between the
lines
Refugees from the villages near the Antwerp forts
Arrival in Antwerp of refugees from Malines
At Malines--a good background for a photograph to
send home to Germany
His Eminence, Cardinal Mercier
Fire at Namur during the bombardment
Effect of big German shell on Fort of Waehlem
Outside view of the Fort of Waehlem after
bombardment
View of the Meuse at Huy
Refugees fleeing toward Dunkirk before the German
advance
Graves of civilians shot by the Germans
A typical proclamation
Views of the Fort of Waehlem after its bombardment
Herbert C. Hoover
French Howitzer near H——
German camp kitchen
Von Bulow's greeting to the people of Liège (in
text)
How the simple pleasures of the German soldiers
were restricted (in text)
Aux habitants de la Belgique (in text)
Appeal of the Queen of the Belgians for help from
America (in text)
Julius Van Hee, American Vice-Counsel at Ghent
Lewis Richards
A Brussels soup-kitchen run by volunteers
Meals served to the children in the schools
German proclamation announcing the execution of
Miss Cavell (in text)
Miss Edith Cavell
Fly-leaf of Miss Cavell's prayer book
Notes in Miss Cavell's prayer book
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INTRODUCTION
This volume is not a carefully prepared treatise on the war. It does not set
out to prove anything. It is merely what its title indicates—a private journal
jotted down hastily from day to day in odd moments, when more pressing duties
would permit. Much material has been eliminated as of little interest. Other
material of interest has been left out because it cannot be published at this
time. It is believed, however, that what is printed here will suffice to give
some idea of life in Belgium during the first few months of the war.
I have eliminated from the journal most of the matter about the early history
of the Commission for Relief in Belgium. My day-to-day record did not do any
sort of justice to the subject, and since it was not adequate, I have
preferred to eliminate all but such casual reference to the relief work as is
necessary to maintain the narrative. I am reconciled to this treatment of the
subject by the knowledge that the story will be told comprehensively and well
by Dr. Vernon Kellogg, who will soon publish an authoritative history of the
Commission's work. As former Director of the Commission in Belgium, he has the
detailed knowledge of its workings and the sympathetic understanding of its
purpose, which peculiarly fit him for the task.
The work of the Commission is of a scope and significance that few of us
realise. It is without doubt the greatest humanitarian enterprise in history,
conducted under conditions of almost incredible difficulty. To those who had
an understanding of the work, it had a compelling appeal, not only as an
opportunity for service but also as the greatest conservation project of all
time—the conservation of one of the finest races of our civilisation.
In its inception and execution, the work of the Commission is distinctively
American. Its inception was in the mind of Herbert Hoover; in its execution he
had the whole-hearted assistance of a little band of quiet American gentlemen
who laboured in Belgium from the autumn of 1914 until we entered the war in
April of this year. They came from all parts of our country and from all walks
of life. They were simple work-a-day Americans, welded together by unwavering
devotion to the common task and to Herbert Hoover, the "Chief." It was the
splendid human side of the Commission that made it succeed in spite of all
obstacles, and that part of the story will be hard to tell.
The gallant little band is now widely scattered. Some are carrying on their
old work from Holland or England or America in order to ensure a steady flow
of food to Belgium. Others are serving our Government in various capacities or
fighting in the armies of our allies. Some of them we shall not see again and
there will never be another reunion, as in the old days, when the "Chief" came
over from London to Brussels with work to be done. But the bright light of
kindly human service which brought them all together is still aflame and will
always be an inspiration to those who served, however humbly, in the great
work.
Washington, D.C., Sept. 24, 1917.
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A Journal From Our Legation In Belgium BRUSSELS, July 4, 1914.—After years of
hard work and revolutions and wars and rumours of war, the change to this
quiet post has been most welcome and I have wallowed in the luxury of having
time to play.
For the last year or two I have looked forward to just such a post as this,
where nothing ever happens, where there is no earthly chance of being called
out of bed in the middle of the night to see the human race brawling over its
differences. When pounding along in the small hours of the night, nearly dead
with fatigue, I have thought that I should like to have a long assignment to
just such a post and become a diplomatic Lotus Eater. And at first it was
great fun.
That phase lasted until I had had a thorough rest, and then the longing for
something more active began to manifest itself.
I sat down and wrote to the Department of State that while I greatly
appreciated having been sent to this much-coveted post I was ready whenever
there might be need of my services to go where there was work to be done.
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July 28, 1914.—Well, the roof has fallen in. War was declared this afternoon
by Austria. The town is seething with excitement and everybody seems to
realise how near they are to the big stage. Three classes of reserves have
already been called to the colours to defend Belgian neutrality. A general
mobilisation is prepared and may be declared at any time. The Bourse has been
closed to prevent too much play on the situation, and let things steady
themselves. In every other way the hatches have been battened down and
preparations made for heavy weather.
To-night the streets are crowded and demonstrations for and against war are
being held. The Socialists have Jaurés, their French leader, up from Paris,
and have him haranguing an anti-war demonstration in the Grande Place, where a
tremendous crowd has collected. Nobody on earth can see where it will all
lead. England is trying hard to localise the conflict, and has valuable help.
If she does not succeed .................---o---
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