bastia was a much larger town with a significant garrison, and a bitter argument between hood and army commander david dundas delayed operations, until dundas resigned. the attack was led by nelson and colonel william villettes, who staged landings near bastia on 4 april. an attack from the sea was driven off by heated shot, and the strength of the town's gun batteries resulted in a lengthy siege through may. bastia surrendered on 22 may when food supplies ran out. cheered by successive british victories, paoli staged elections among the corsican population on 1 june, and by 16 june had ratified a new constitution that confirmed the anglo-corsican kingdom as a self-governing part of the british empire.