Laplace turned his head to look at the clock tower, angrily rebuking, "You coward! They will burn the town, our children will starve to death in Lisbon!"
Apinto glanced at him, continued to wave the white flag, and switched to English, saying, "Surrender, we surrender..."
The already disorganized militias, seeing the councilman surrender, instantly crumbled in their remaining will to resist, dropping their weapons one after another and kneeling on the ground.
"Damn it, we can't admit defeat!" Laplace shouted anxiously, "Think of those farmers who fled here!"
Only those hunters, along with a few townspeople, still gathered around him, no more than a hundred people, continuing to load and fire.
At this moment, a boy of ten or so ran over, panting heavily, shouting to Laplace, "Over at Red Bamboo Stone Street, there are many British!"
Laplac's mind went blank with a "buzz."
Red Bamboo Stone Street is on the south side of the church, meaning the British were encircling them.
