The horror of this treacherous attack was increased by the darkness which had already fallen on the town, the street-lighting having been destroyed. The surprised troops tried to assemble, sought to defend themselves, and returned the fire. When this ceased for a moment they entered the houses out of which shots had been fired, by the order of their superior officers, and searched for the culprits. Several of these had been killed in the fight (Apps. 1, 3, 29, 37); others were found in possession of arms and were shot according to the usages of war, after having previously been found guilty of unjustifiable participation in the fight (Apps. 19, 20, 37, 38, 40, 41, 43, 44, 48). Many were able to escape through the back exits of the houses to participate once more in the continual recommencing street-fights. While these fights were raging, the General in command of the XI. Reserve Army Corps, von Boehn, returned from the battlefield to the town. This was about 11.30 p.m. On his way to the town hall he was several times shot at. So as to put an end to the street-fighting, he ordered a brigade of the Landwehr to enter the town, and had the Mayor and other distinguished citizens arrested as hostages. At his order they were led through the town and told to order the insurgents in a loud voice to cease their hostilities. Although accompanied by threats of severe punishment, these orders had no effect. The population continued to attack the troops. In their fury they even shot at the doctors, the hospital orderlies, and at the sick and wounded who were under the protection of the Red Cross (Apps. 9, 21, 25-28, 47). They paid so little attention to the Geneva Convention that they also fired out of houses from which flew the Red Cross flag (Apps. 29, 38); they even directed their fire against a military hospital (Apps. 25, 27, 28). On more than one occasion the use of explosives and bombs is vouched for (Apps. 36, 37, 46); it is proved also that hot tar was poured upon the German troops (Apps. 25, 29). In some cases the population was even carried away to commit barbarous atrocities on German soldiers who had become defenceless. Private Hoos found in the cellar of a house the corpse of a German soldier whose abdomen had been cut open with a sharp knife so that the intestines were protruding (App. 35); one of the German soldiers had a revolting mutilation inflicted upon him by one of the inhuman inhabitants, in consequence of which he died (App. 37).