Alexandria gazette & advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1822-1824, 1823-01-25
THE SIEGE OF cAsrELLFoLLIr.

THE SIEGE OF CAsrELLFoLLIT.
In our Havana papers we find
detailed account of the operations OF
the constitutional force, under Gen.
Nina, against the fortress of Castcll-
follit. in Catalonia. This account
j, contained in official letters copied
from a Spanish Gazette, an abstract
of which may be found interesting by
our readers. " Y " HUI.
The fortress of Castellfollit ocou-
pies the summit Of a high and almost
inaccessible rock. which commands
considerable tract OF the neighbor-
ing country, and is surrounded by
three towers. placed at the corner ct
an ebuilateral triangle. On the 2lst
of October, few days after the con-
stitutionai troops had been expelled
by detachment of the army OF the
Fai tn, Gen. Nina commenced the
siege of it The insurgent garrison
consisted of about $50 men, comman-
dsd by RomanilIo, who had his fami-
iy with bin in the principal fortress.
An attempt was made IN the even
ing to blow up the left hand tower,
but without success for the con-
struction is of such solid materials
and of such antiquity as to withstand
uniniured the shock of common
mine. New excavations are there
fore Immediately commenced, and
urged on with all possible activity,
against the two nearest towers at
once.
Two of the Generals adiutants,
Canedo and Narvaez, taking advan-
tage of the obscurity of the night, left
their Notifications to examine the
gate Of the tower, to see whether it
might be cut through with hatchets.
They proceeded with the utmost cau-
ton. and had almost reached the
walls, when they were discovered by
ths sentinels, who fired upon them,
and they were both brought back
badly wounded.
Tie next day at sunset, the exca-
vations being completed and the ma
gazine prepared. the orders were Civ
en- to spring the mine. A trench
doas explosion instantly took place,
which so completely destroyed the
tower that only two men were found
alive, among the ruins, and they
were put to death by the soldiers.
who rushed in at the breach, tore
down the flag Of Urgel, and made the
ruins ring with "Long live the Con-
stitution :"
Ia half an hour the right hand
tower was blown into the air by the
springing of a second mine, and the
stones i'm falling killed great many
of the soldiers in the third tower
This tremendous explosion was fol-
lowed by dead silence on the part
of the besiesed, who until then had
been continually throwing out taunts
and bravadoes. The destruction of
their works indeed SO much dispiri-
ted them, that they Withheld for a
time the firing of their guns, and left
their enemies to proceedin their ops
eralions without molestation, altho'
they had previously exhibited the
greatest enthus iasm and the most
desperate courage. in keeping up a
brisk fire, and in resisting every at
tempt against their fortress and their
entertainments. On one OCCASION,
when a mine prepared for explosion,
and the match actually placed, they
made a desperate sally, extinguished
the fire and regained the fortress in
safety.
On the esd, the attention of Gene
raj Nina was confined to third
tower, the Onlv one now remaining,
aud the strongest part Of the whole
fortress. Batteries we're raised SO
near it that the soldiers were edited