The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-07-26

At the first house we found we learned that the
Prince would probably pass the night in the neigh.
boring town OF Ol6, and thither We went, arriving
not very far from midnight picked out a large,
respectable looking house and boldly asked for a
bed which was presently spread for me on the
moor in small attic, and there, fun OF thankful,
ness, slept till daybreak.
relate this adventure simply in order to illus
trate the difficulties OF my mission. II is only one
out OF many endured for the sake of duty.
GENERAL CAsrELLs
One day, upon the march with the Prince, Miret,
camps and Tristany, column OF smoke was OBJ
served rising at considerable distance to our
right. We were ascending mountain, ana when
we had got to the top sound OF musketry could
be distinctly heard. but coming from q direction
nearly opposite to where the smoke was rising.
Another mountain. and possibly stn another, rose
between us and the scene of the firing; therefore
nothing could be seen. think in any other part
of the world bold adventurous and sensible gen.
eral would have pushed on to the aid Of brother
In arms. In Catalonia things are managed quite
Inherently. The nrst question debated that day
was-Who can 1t be that Is engaging the
enemy7 The giving or withholding aid
depended, it would appear. upon the So
luton Of that question; and herein lies
the secret of Don Aifonso's greatest difhcultes
Well, some said 1t must be saballs others that 1t
was Auguet, and others thought Castells was more
likely to be there. venture to assert. had 1t been
known positively that 1t was q chief OF inconsid-
cradle prominence, such as Nastarratt or Barrau
cot, who was engaged that Trstany would have
marched to his relief Ourrorce had halted on the
top OF the mountain, and the nring continued,
coming nearer and nearer. One party was evil
IDENTITY retreating toward our position. This COM
PEELED us to do something The ZOuaves were sent
to occupy high point, with patch Of wood on
either side. The firing had by this time lasted
fully two hours. At length we could discover q
dark line moving in a deep distant ravine Field
glasses soon revealed the fact that II was body OF
hostile cavalry coming toward US. Camps was
Immediately despatched, with a couple OF hundred
men, to intercept and attack the enemy,
and In quarter OF an hour had the satisfaction
OF seeing his force winding around and up the side
of an opposite mountain We watched the enemy,
who was moving rapidly along the bottom OF the
ravne, and presently turning OF at right angles to
and across Camps line OF march, he was lost ia
sight. 1t then became evident that Camps would
make fruitless excursion. In the meantime the
firing had ceased and things were growing tedious.
All at once my attention was attracted by the ap-
pearance among US of brisk old gentleman,
wearing white boanad, with the gilt band Of q
general upon 1t. The fringe of short, white beard
around his face and the absence OF mustache led
had seen his photograph. 1t was he in iact who
had been fighting for hours column OF the
enemy, several hundred strong, with only
eighteen menl On the occasion in ques-
ton saw very little OF this remark
able man. for he left us that evening or next morn
ing, but Tell in with him afterwards and marched
with him through the mountains during two or
three days. being very DESTROYS OF ascertaintng his
views OF the situation and OF hearing his version
OF the reason why he Is not at the head OF con-
siderable force instead OF wandering about with
less than twenty muskets at his orders.
Don Juan Castels Is a strongly built muscular
man, OF middle height, about sixty-eight years OF
age but very young and robust for his years. He
IS the Oldest military leader among the Carlists In
Catalonia, and commanded with ability column
of 1000 men during the seven years. war. No one
doubts his courage and remarkable GOODNESS In
presence Of danger, nor nis enterprisng spirit.
dash and determination. He Is the only Carlist
leader in Catalonia, SO am assured, who has the
rank Of Lieutenant General, rank which he has
won by thousand sacrifices, sunerings and tri-
umphs in the field. He was the frst man In the
field for the Carst cause In the war now pro
crossing.
THE FIRST BLOW FOR DON CARLOS
was struck by him on the 7th OF April 1872 at Bar
ceona- He assembled eighty OF his friends in arms
on that night and marched with them to the noun.
tains He and his eighty men have been pursued,
hemmed in, cut or over and over again; but his
ability, courage and strong common sense always
saved him. He has had as many as 10000 men OF
the regular army thrown upon him at once, yet he
has known how to battle them. He has made
marches Of forty and fifty hours and utterly bewi
dered his enemies and excited their admiration by
the rapidty and skill OF his movements. One nat
nrally nquires-why Is such man set aside Lest
marches will cite one which will never be forgot
ten in Catalonia. He marched down the LlObregat
River, from It's in the mountains at Castella
del Much, following it to the sea, crossed
it there and marched back along the other
bank back to Gastea without resting est more than
the mountains he had to traverse, the march was
performed in an incredibly short space Of time
Needless to say, he had thousands OF the enemy at
his heels all the time Later on, with only $50 men,
he attempted the capture Of Berga, strongly gar.
popular among the mountain people, and it is said
can get more men to follow him than any other
man in Catalonia. Therefore, once more, why is
HISTORY OF THE TROUBLE.
Some time ago there were couple of gentlemen
proiessed the highest esteem and VINO enjoyed nis
fullest confidence One had been till quite lately
life a strong enemy OF the Carst cause and prin-
ciples. The other person Is said TO be hal1-
9scsn on se to cas TSe exce9 is
accused by many persons OF having been the cause
Of the SnS se e1 ere O.
cause in the Spring Of 1870, when the projected
rising failed. Among these eight victims was
son OF General Castes, o boy Of only fifteen years.
When Don Alfonso gave the General the ap-
pointment OF commander in chief OF q couple OF
provinces in Catalonia he offered him the post OF
general chief Of staff, which would have made him
General In Chief Of all the Carlst forces in Cata
ionIa, and was precisely the post to which he was
entitled and where he would have been most use
full. In reply to the Princes offer Castells said,
I cannot endure Before accepting any post
must insist on that person being dismissed" This
blunt speech displeased the Prince yet SO strong
was popular opinion concerning the person In
question and all his surroundings that the Pr inct
was finally obliged to dismiss both, which he did
in the most gracious manner, sending them to
Navarro with letters OF recommendation to the
King, his brother. Don Alfonso might then have
renewed his offer to Castells; but he did not and
Castels, finding himself treated with GOODNESS, re.
signed his title Of Captain General and retired.
He has repeatedly said to me, when speaking OF
this most unfortunate difIculty :-'Tf cannot