The Dissapearing Ruler of Carthage

Ok people, time to get the brains workin. Im a bit confused and heres why. I sent a diplomat to Palma, the island just off of spain, to try and negotiate tradr rights with the spanish who i assumed who hold it. Anyway when i get there i see that Carthage actually owns it and it is garrisonned by only 1 unit of Libyan Spearman, some light cavalry and the carthaginian faction leader with his bodyguard. I coudlnt resist this target so i sent an army over consisting of 4 units hastati, 1 war dog, 1 equites and my gen wit bodyguard. So battle commences and im winning easily, as expected. The end of the battle comes and the only carthie to survive was the leader who then dissapeared completely. ~:confused: He had no navy in the surrounding waters and he did not go to the city so im just wondering where he's gone, any help wud be good.
Sorry if thats a bit long

Did you have the city besieged when the battle began?

It would seem that a defeated army must retreat a certain distance. If this is not possible it is destroyed. The island may be too small to accommodate the generals retreat. I don't know why he would not have gone to the city if it was not invested. Perhaps the retreat distance applies regardless of the availability of a safe refuge like a city.

Yes it was besieged, the ruler and his men had sallied forth from the city or whatever it is they do and then after the battle like i said, he's just gone. Surely if he hadnt been able to escape and had been captured/killed anyway it would have told me?

Almost certainly he was unable to escape and died. I don't know that you get messages for the enemy faction when that happens (only if your own are unable to escape after a loss--then you get "heroic death.")