Huge mobs of civilians, fugitives, and stragglers preceded the retreating French troops. The enemy took to the woods and ambushed the stragglers of the army. The next day, stragglers from a convoy were sighted. Overnight Army stragglers from Reno's battalion, given up for dead, wandered in. They were followed by thousands of stragglers and civilians. Soon, a bunch of stragglers gather around. Japan surrendered while the Australians were combing the jungle for stragglers. Maubeuge was defended by fourteen forts, a garrison of territorials and British and Belgian stragglers. About of the original escaped, including during the day British patrols picked up stragglers. By Easter 1945 it numbered about 2,000 soldiers, including stragglers from other units. Various army stragglers, including infantry and a machine-gun company had arrived in the town. However, the allies were able to capture around 10,000 French stragglers. It took several days for the last stragglers to reach Grenadier Island. Arathorn then leads the remaining Rangers in pursuit of the stragglers. Roving bands of stragglers and highwaymen filled her with "unspeakable terrors" for her son.