In the year 1800 the surrender of Malta to the English fleet gave it
the mastery in the Mediterranean; and General Abercrombie, with a
British force, landing at Aboukir Bay, defeated the French army which
Bonaparte had left in Egypt, and which soon after found itself forced
to surrender.
By the evacuation of Egypt, India was secured, and Turkey was prevented
from becoming a dependency of France.
England now turned her attention to the Northern coalition.
The treaty of Luneville had left her alone in the struggle against
France.
The Northern powers, wishing to secure their commerce from insult and
capture by the always increasing naval power of England, had formed
a coalition, headed by the Czar Peter, and revived the claim that a
neutral flag should cover even contraband of war.
Denmark, which had been very active in the combination, was the first
to feel the weight of the anger of the British Cabinet.
The Danish naval force consisted of about ten sail of seventy-fours
and sixty-fours, in fair order, and of about as many more which were
unserviceable. The Russians had about twenty sail available, and the
Swedes eleven sail.
In the month of March, 1801, before the fleets of Sweden and Russia
could join that of Denmark, and thus form a combined fleet which could
hope to resist English encroachments, England dispatched a fleet to the
Cattegat, under Admiral Sir Hyde Parker, with Lord Nelson as second in
command.
This fleet carried a commissioner, with full powers to treat, and
charged to offer to the Danes peace or war. _Peace_, if they abandoned
the Northern confederation, by opening the passage of the Sound to
England, and by forbidding their men-of-war to protect their merchant
convoys from the arbitrary and insolent visits of English men-of-war;
_war_, if Denmark wished to preserve her maritime independence. The
Danish government indignantly repelled the insulting ultimatum: and the
English fleet at once forced the passage of the Sound, in spite of the
batteries erected to prevent it. The King of Denmark had hastened to
prepare his Capital and its surroundings for defence; and the Prince
Royal took command of the whole of the operations, military and naval.
As regards the operations of the British fleet, we shall now follow
the English accounts, as they do not materially differ from those
which come from Danish and French sources. The severe action which
followed redounded to the glory of Nelson (the Commander-in-chief, Sir
Hyde Parker, being quite a secondary character), as well as to the
conspicuous and stubborn courage of the Danes.
We must remember that the great genius of Nelson directed the best
efforts of some of the best and hardiest men-of-war’s men of the time;
while the Danes, after a long peace, were little accustomed either to
stand fire, or to naval evolutions. But, nevertheless, they fought
with devoted bravery; and made a most gallant, though ineffectual
resistance; seldom equaled, and never excelled.
To return to the action. The pilots, who were to take the fleet in,
through very shallow waters, and channels between dangerous sand-bars,
and who were not to share the honors, found it well to magnify the
dangers of the shallow Sound; and their conduct caused some delay.
During this time, Sir Hyde Parker sent a flag of truce to the Governor
of Elsinore, to inquire if he meant to oppose the passage of the fleet
through the Sound. It is almost impossible to imagine a greater insult
to a weak nation, than such an inquiry. Governor Stricker, to his
honor, replied that the guns of the Castle would certainly be fired at
any British ships of war which approached. At length, on the morning
of the 30th of March, the British fleet weighed anchor, from a point
at the entrance of the Sound, and, with the wind about northwest,
and consequently fair, proceeded into the Sound, in line ahead. The
English fleet was composed of the 98-gun ship London, Sir Hyde Parker’s
flag-ship, and the St. George, 98, with the flag of Vice-Admiral Lord
Nelson. There were, in addition, eleven 74s, five 64s, one 54, one 50,
one 38, two 36s, and one 32.
Of these, six 74s, three 64s, and all the smaller vessels were
afterwards placed under Nelson’s orders, and bore the brunt of the
battle.
As the fleet entered the Sound, the van division was commanded by
Lord Nelson, in the Elephant, a 74 (into which ship, as a lighter and
more active one than the St. George, he had, on the preceding day,
shifted his flag), the centre division by the Commander-in-chief, and
the rear division by Rear-Admiral Graves. At seven the batteries at
Elsinore commenced firing at the Monarch, which was the leading ship,
and at the other ships, as they passed in succession. The distance
was, however, so great, that not a shot struck the ships; and only
the van ships fired in return, and even those did not fire more than
three broadsides. A gun burst on one of the English ships, and killed
seven men, and this comprised the whole loss in the passage of the
Sound. The English bomb-vessels, seven in number, threw shell at the
Danes, however, and thereby killed and wounded a few in Cronenberg
and Helsingen. As the Strait at Elsinore is less than three miles
across, a mid-channel passage would have exposed the ships to a fire
from Cronenberg Castle on the one side, and from the Swedish town
of Helsinborg on the other; but the latter had very inconsiderable
batteries, and did not make even a show of opposition. On observing
this, the British inclined to the Swedish shore, passing within less
than a mile of it, and thus avoiding a fire that, coming from nearly
one hundred pieces of cannon, could not fail to have been destructive.
About noon the fleet anchored at some distance above the Island of
Huën, which is about fifteen miles distant from Copenhagen.
Sir Hyde Parker, Vice-Admiral Nelson, and Rear-Admiral Graves,
then proceeded, in a lugger, to reconnoitre the Danish defences;
and they soon ascertained that they were of considerable strength.
In consequence of this discovery a council of war was held in the
evening, with the usual result, a majority urging an abandonment of the
enterprise, or, at least, a delay in the attack. But Nelson prevailed,
and offered, if given ten sail-of-the-line, and all the small craft, to
accomplish the business before them.
Admiral Parker complied, without hesitation; and he, moreover, granted
Nelson two more ships of-the-line than he had asked for. It required
light-draft ships for the work in hand, for the force at Copenhagen
was not the only obstacle to be overcome. It was approached by an
intricate channel, but little known.
To increase the difficulty, the Danes had removed or misplaced the
buoys. That same night Lord Nelson himself, accompanied by Captain
Brisbane and some others, proceeded to sound and buoy the outer
channel, a narrow passage lying between the Island of Saltholm and the
Middle Ground. This was a very difficult and fatiguing duty, but was
duly accomplished.
An attack from the eastward was at first contemplated; but a second
examination of the Danish position, on the next day, as well as a
favorable change in the wind, determined Nelson to commence operations
from the southward.
On the morning of the 1st of April the British fleet weighed anchor,
and soon came to again to the northwest of the Middle Ground, a shoal
that extends along the whole sea front of the City of Copenhagen,
leaving an intervening channel of deep water, called the Konigstiéfe,
about three-quarters of a mile wide. In this channel, close to the
town, the Danes had moored their block-ships, radeaus, praams (or armed
lighters), and other gun-vessels. In the course of the forenoon Lord
Nelson reconnoitred, for the last time, the position he was about to
attack; and upon his return, about one in the afternoon, the signal to
weigh appeared at the Elephant’s mast-head, and the division set sail,
with a light and favorable wind. Nelson had, in addition to his force
already given, been joined by one 28, two 24s, and two 18-gun sloops,
making his whole force to consist of thirty-two sail, large and small.
Captain Riou led, in the Amazon, 38, and the ships entered the upper
channel, and coasted along the edge of the Middle Ground, until they
reached and partly rounded the southern extremity. Here they anchored,
about eight o’clock in the evening, just as it grew dark; and they were
then about two miles from the southernmost ship of the Danish line of
defence.
The same northwesterly wind that had been fair for passing along the
outer channel, was now as foul for advancing by the inner one. It was
also necessary to wait for daylight, in such intricate navigation. The
night was passed in taking soundings, and the depth was ascertained, up
to the Danish line.
The additional vessels, consisting of seven bomb-ships, two fire-ships,
and six gun-brigs were brought in; and then there was nothing to do
but wait until morning, as the few shells thrown by the Danes burst
harmlessly.
We must now look at the Danish force. It consisted of eighteen vessels,
of different kinds. Some old and dismantled two-decked ships, frigates,
praams and radeaus, mounting, altogether, 628 guns, were moored in a
line of about a mile in extent. These were flanked at the north end, or
that nearest the town, by two artificial islands, called the Trekroner
batteries, one of thirty 24-pounders, and the other of thirty-eight
36-pounders, with furnaces for heating shot; and both of them commanded
by two two-decked block-ships.
The entrance to the docks and harbor, in the heart of the city, was
protected by a chain, and by batteries; while, in addition, the 74-gun
ships Dannemark and Trekroner, a frigate, and some large gun-vessels
(some of them with furnaces for hot shot), were moored about the
harbor’s mouth. Several batteries were built along the shore of Amaag
Island, to the southward of the floating line of defence; while the
indignant Danes flocked to man the works, animated by the desire to
repel the invaders by every possible means.
Morning dawned, on the second of April, with a southeasterly wind,
which was favorable to the English. As soon as signals could be seen,
one was made for all Captains to repair on board the flag-ship, when
their stations were assigned them. The line-of-battle ships were
intended to anchor by the stern, abreast of the vessels of the enemy’s
line. Most of the frigates and the fire-ships were to operate against
the vessels at the harbor’s mouth. The bomb-vessels were to take their
stations outside the British line, so as to throw their shells over
it; while two frigates and some gun-vessels and brigs were to take a
position for raking the southern extremity of the Danish line. The 49th
English Regiment, which was on board some of the vessels, and five
hundred seamen, under Captain Freemantle, of the Ganges, were intended,
at the proper time, to storm the principal of the Trekroner batteries.
Of course this was to be when the ships had silenced its fire.
By nine o’clock everything was ready; a silence reigned before the
storm began, and “the stoutest held their breath for a time.”
But now Nelson was hampered by the hesitation and indecision of the
pilots.
At last Mr. Briarly, the Master of the Bellona, undertook to lead
the fleet in, and for that purpose went on board the Edgar; and at
half-past nine the ships began to weigh, in succession. The Edgar led.
The Agamemnon was to follow, but was unable to weather the shoal, and
was forced to bring to again, in only six fathoms of water. Although
she tried again, by warping, the current was such that Nelson’s old and
favorite ship was utterly unable to get any nearer.
Two more ships succeeded in following the Edgar, but the third, the
Bellona, 74, got aground, abreast of the Danish block-ship Provesteen,
and the Russell, 74, following her, had the same mishap. They were
within long gun-shot. In compliance with the wish of the pilots, each
ship had been ordered to pass her leader on the starboard side, from
a supposition that the water shoaled on the other shore; in fact, the
water kept deepening all the way to the Danish line. The Elephant came
next, and Lord Nelson, perceiving the situation of the ships aground,
by a happy stroke, ordered his helm to be put to starboard, and passed
within those ships, as did, in safety, all those who came after him.
Had it not been for this, most of the large vessels would have run
ashore, and been practically useless. As soon as Lord Nelson’s squadron
weighed, Sir Hyde Parker’s eight ships did the same, and took up a new
position to the north, but too far off on account of shoal water, to
effect much by their fire.
At ten o’clock the fire opened, and by half-past eleven, as the ships
came into their stations, the action became general. Owing to the
strength of the current, the Jamaica, 28, and many of the English
gun-boats were unable to get into a position to be of much service,
while the fire of the bomb-vessels was not nearly so destructive as had
been expected.
The absence of the Bellona and Russell, 74s, and of the Agamemnon, 64,
was much felt, as it caused some of the British vessels which got in to
have more than their share of fire.
And now the two lines were enveloped in powder smoke and flame for
three long hours. Horrible scenes, and dreadful wounds and destruction
always follow a bombardment by the heavy guns which ships carry, as
compared with the field artillery of a land battle. During all this
time the fight was maintained with a courage and persistence seldom
equalled, and never excelled.
At the end of three hours’ very heavy firing, few, if any, of the
Danish block-ships, praams, or radeaus had ceased firing; nor could
the contest be said to have taken a decisive turn for either side. To
use a vulgar but expressive saying, the English had “a hard nut to
crack” in the Danes. At this time signals of distress were flying at
the mast-heads of two English line-of-battle ships, and a signal of
inability on board a third.
Sir Hyde Parker, from his distance from the scene of action, could
judge but imperfectly of the condition of affairs. Observing the slow
progress, and zig-zag courses of the Defence and Ramillies, 74s, and
the Veteran, 64, which he had despatched as a reinforcement to his
Vice-Admiral, he argued that matters were not progressing favorably for
the attacking force; and so he threw out the signal for discontinuing
the engagement. Had this been done, the last ships to retire, of the
English, as well as those on shore, would have been placed in a most
dangerous predicament. Lord Nelson chose, on this occasion, to disobey
orders. It is a remarkable fact that, with regard to discipline, some
of the greatest leaders have been the most recusant. No one can deny
Lord Nelson’s genius as a leader of fleets, but all who are interested
in navies must regret the example he set upon this occasion. He,
himself, would have had any man shot who disobeyed orders, under fire,
as he did Sir Hyde Parker’s. The result obtained by his disobedience
justifies the act, in the civil mind; but the far-reaching effects of
disobedience of the kind can only be estimated by those who have served
in fleets or armies.
The three frigates and two sloops nearest to the London and her
division, did, without question, obey the signal, and hauled off from
the Trekroner batteries. The gallant Captain Riou, of the Amazon, was
shot in two, and that frigate sustained her greatest loss in obeying
Sir Hyde Parker’s order, which required him to present his stern to one
of the Trekroner batteries.
When Sir Hyde Parker made the signal to retire, it was reported to
Nelson by his signal lieutenant. He continued to walk the deck, and
appeared to take no notice of it. The signal officer met him at the
next turn, and asked him if he should repeat the signal, as is usual
with those coming from a Commander-in-chief to a second in command.
“No,” said Nelson, “acknowledge it.”
Presently, Nelson asked the signal lieutenant if the signal for close
action was still hoisted; and being answered in the affirmative, said,
“Mind you keep it so!”
“He now paced the deck, moving the stump of his lost arm in a manner
that, with him, always indicated great emotion. ‘Do you know,’ said
he, ‘what is shown on board the Commander-in-chief?’ ‘Number 39!’ Mr.
Fergusson asked him what that meant. ‘Why, to leave off action.’ Then,
shrugging up his shoulders, he repeated the words ‘leave off action?
now d--n me if I do! You know, Foley,’ turning to the captain of his
flag-ship, ‘I have only one eye, I have a right to be blind sometimes,’
and then, putting the glass to his blind eye, in that mood of mind
which sports with bitterness, he exclaimed, ‘I really do not see the
signal.’ Presently he exclaimed ‘D--n the signal! Keep mine for closer
battle flying! That’s the way I answer such signals. Nail mine to the
mast.’”
[Illustration: BATTLE OF COPENHAGEN.]
About two o’clock in the afternoon the fire of the Danes had begun to
slacken; and soon after it had ceased along nearly their whole line.
Some of their light vessels and floating batteries had got adrift, and
some had struck their colors, but could not be taken possession of for
the reason that the nature of the action was such that the crews were
continually reinforced from the shore; and fresh men coming on board
did not inquire whether the flag had been struck, or, perhaps, did
not heed it; many, or most of them, never having been engaged in war
before, and knowing nothing, therefore, of its laws, thought only of
defending their country to the last extremity. The firing on the boats
which went to take possession of those Danish vessels whose flags were
not flying greatly irritated Nelson; who, at one time, had thoughts of
sending in the fire-ships, to burn such vessels.
During the pause in the action, he sent a letter to the Danish Crown
Prince, in which he said, according to Southey, “Vice-Admiral Nelson
has been commanded to spare Denmark when she no longer resists. The
line of defence which covered her shores has struck to the British
flag; but if the firing is continued on the part of Denmark, he must
set on fire all the prizes that he has taken, without having the power
of saving the men who have so nobly defended them. The brave Danes are
the brothers, and should never be the enemies of the English.” The
account goes on to say that a wafer was given him to close this letter,
but he ordered a candle to be brought from the surgeon’s quarters, and
sealed the letter with wax, affixing a larger seal than he ordinarily
used. “This,” said he, “is no time to appear hurried or informal.”
Nelson’s letter is probably correctly given in Southey, but the French
say that he asked for Denmark to consent at once to leave the Northern
Confederation, to permit the English to caulk and refit their ships
in the Danish dock yard; and to receive the English wounded in the
Copenhagen hospitals.
Captain Sir Frederick Thesiger, with a flag of truce, carried the
letter on shore, and found the Crown Prince at the sally-port. The fire
of a part of the English line against the Danish block-ships was still
kept up, and about this time silenced them. But the great Trekroner
battery was comparatively uninjured. This battery therefore continued
its fire; and, having had a reinforcement thrown in from the shore, was
considered too strong to be stormed.
It was now deemed advisable to withdraw the English ships from the
intricate channel while the wind continued fair; and preparations
to that end were making, when the Danish Adjutant-General appeared,
bearing a flag of truce. Upon this, the Trekroner ceased firing, and
the action, after continuing five hours, during four of which it had
been very warmly contested, was brought to a close.
The message was to inquire the particular object of Lord Nelson’s note.
The latter replied that he consented to stay hostilities from motives
of humanity. He wished the Danish wounded to be taken on shore; to take
his prisoners out of the prizes; and to burn or carry off the latter,
as he should think fit. He also expressed a hope for reconciliation
between the two countries; a bitter thing, under the circumstances.
Sir Frederick Thesiger, who had returned with the Danish
Adjutant-General, was again sent with this reply, and he was referred
to the Crown Prince for a final adjustment of terms. It is said that
the populace were so excited that the flag-of-truce officer was in
danger of his life. The interval was taken advantage of to get the
leading British ships, all of whom were much crippled in rigging and
sails, out of their very precarious position. The Monarch led the way
out, but touched on the shoal; but the Ganges, striking her amidships,
pushed her over it. The Glatton passed clear, but the Elephant and
the Defiance grounded about a mile from the formidable Trekroner
battery, and there remained fixed, for many hours, in spite of every
exertion. The Désirée also grounded, close to the Bellona. Soon after
the Elephant grounded Lord Nelson left her, and followed the Danish
Adjutant General to the London, Sir Hyde Parker’s flag-ship.
Here an important conference was held. It is said that Nelson remarked
to the Danish officer that “the French fight well, but they would not
have borne for one hour what the Danes have borne for five. I have been
in many battles, but that of to-day is by far the most terrible.”
During the whole of the night of April 2d the British were occupied
getting out their prizes, and in floating their grounded ships. On the
morning of the 3d all of the latter but the Désirée were got off.
The negotiations lasted five days, and during that time all the prizes,
except the 60-gun ship Holstein, were set on fire and destroyed. Most
of those so destroyed were not worth carrying away.
On the 9th of April an armistice of fourteen weeks was agreed upon;
Denmark agreeing, in that time, to suspend all proceedings under the
treaty of armed neutrality which she had entered into with Sweden and
Russia.
The prisoners were sent on shore, to be accounted for in case
hostilities should be renewed; and the British fleet had permission to
purchase fresh provisions and supplies at Copenhagen, and along the
coast adjoining.
In the action before Copenhagen the loss, in killed and wounded, of
the British fleet, was about twelve hundred. The Danish loss is put
down at between sixteen and eighteen hundred, and, with prisoners
taken, at about six thousand.
Although the affair, as a mere fight, might be considered a drawn
battle, the first overture having come from the English, the victory
clearly remained with the latter, for they got almost everything they
demanded. The Danes were much inferior in number of guns, and are
entitled to every credit for the splendid resistance they made.
On the 12th of April Admiral Parker despatched to England the prize
ship Holstein, of 60 guns, conveying most of his wounded men, and also
one or two of his own ships which had been much disabled. He then
transhipped the guns of his heavy ships into chartered vessels, and
managed to get his fleet into the Baltic in this way, instead of going
round by the Belts. This feat astonished the Swedes, Russians, Danes
and Prussians, who had not imagined that such ships could be brought
into the Baltic by that channel.
Parker’s first object was to attack the Russian squadron, at Revel,
before the breaking up of the ice should enable it to join the
Swedish fleet at Carlscrona. The movement resulted in no battle,
but in negotiations, by which a peaceable solution of the existing
difficulties could be had.
A characteristic action of Lord Nelson may here be related. The
St. George, his flag-ship, had had great difficulty in passing the
shoals, and was among the last to get over, while Sir Hyde Parker had
proceeded, with most of the fleet. A head wind set in, and the St.
George was again detained. Hearing that the Swedish fleet had come
out, Lord Nelson instantly quitted the St. George, accompanied by the
master of the Bellona, Mr. Briarly, in a six-oared cutter, to join the
Admiral, who was twenty-four miles off. They had to pull in the teeth
of a strong wind and current, and Nelson had not stopped even to get a
boat-cloak, so necessary at that early season of the year. He was in
this boat nearly six hours, refusing to put on a great coat offered
him. “No,” he said, “I am not cold; my anxiety will keep me warm. Do
you think the fleet has sailed?” “I should suppose not, my Lord,”
said Briarly. “If they have,” said Nelson, “I shall follow them to
Carlscrona in the boat, by G--d!” Now, the distance to Carlscrona was
about one hundred and fifty miles.
At midnight Nelson reached the fleet, which had not sailed.
The Emperor Paul had now died, and his successor, Alexander 1st,
was disposed to make overtures looking towards peace, so that the
succeeding movements of Parker and Nelson, in the Baltic, do not come
within our province.