home to many of them that day. Can it be possible that a man can be a hero because he is wounded on the battle field? 107 107 CHAPTER X IN THE MESSENGER SERVICE IN THE MESSENGER SERVICE This part of Belgium has a very curious formation. Many of the limestone quarries are really subterranean passages, and are of very ancient origin, and all this section of the country has a history which goes back to the time of the Romans. Not far north of the elevation where the present camp was formed, is an old Roman road, which runs in an unbroken line to Mons, in southwestern Belgium. Belgium soil is also rich in human blood in this vicinity. Near by is a historic battle field, fought on Sept. 11, 1746; and northwest of Liège, on the plains of Neerwinden, two great battles were fought, one on July 29, 1693, when the French under Marshal Luxembourg defeated the Allies under William III, of England, and in the second battle, March 18, 1793, when the French under Dumouriez and Louis Phillipe were defeated by the Austrians under the Prince of Coburg. It is no wonder that their proximity to the great battlefields should make the Belgians good soldiers. They knew that their forefathers had fought on many a field, and they possessed the spirit to try to emulate them. 108 108 That evening the boys had an opportunity to learn of many of the battles fought in the vicinity, the commander being a descendant of a famous family which contributed fighting heroes before Belgium became a separate nation. Before ten o'clock that night, several messengers appeared in camp from the military commandant near Tondres, and they were ordered to proceed to the north at once. The scouts in the front, who had been deployed in many directions, were informed that at twelve o'clock the command would break camp, and that Capt. Renee would command the rear guard, composed of the outlying pickets. A large detail
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