d hostile acts by Belgian
individuals moved the German military authorities to seize a group of
the principal citizens, and warn the inhabitants that the breaking of a
peaceful attitude would be at the risk of swiftly serious punishment.
Precautions to enforce order were such as is provided in martial law,
and carried out in the beginning with some show of fairness. The Germans
appeared anxious to restore confidence and win a feeling of good will.

For some days after the capitulation of the city the northern forts
continued a heroic resistance. So long as these remained uncaptured,
General Leman maintained that, strategically, Liege had not fallen. He
thus held in check the armies of Von Kluck and Von Buelow, when every
hour was of supreme urgency for their respective onsweep into central
Belgium and up the Meuse Valley. The Germans presently brought into an
overpowering bombardment their 11-inch siege guns.

On August 13, 1914, Embourg was stricken into ruin. On the same day the
electric lighting apparatus of Fort Boncelles having been destroyed, the
few living men of its garrison fought through the following night in
darkness, and in momentary danger of suffocation from gases emitted by
the exploding German shells.

Early in the morning of August 14, 1914, though its cupolas were
battered in and shells rained upon the interior, the commander refused
an offer of surrender. A little later the concrete inner chamber walls
fell in. The commander of Boncelles, having exhausted his defensive,
hoisted the white flag. He had held out for eleven days in a veritable
death-swept inferno.

Fort Loncin disputed with Boncelles the honor of being the last to
succumb. The experience of its garrison differed only in terrible
details from Boncelles. Its final gun shot was fired by a man with his
left hand, since the other had been severed. Apparently a shell exploded
in its magazine, and blew up the whole fort. General Leman was
discovered amid its debris, pinned beneath a huge beam. He was released
by his own men. When taken to a trench, a German officer found that he
was merely unconscious from shock.

When sufficiently recovered, General Leman was conducted to General von
Emmich to tender his personal surrender. The two had previously been
comrades at maneuvers. The report of their meeting is given by a German
officer. The guard presented the customary salute due General Leman's
rank. General von Emmich advanced a few steps to