Chapter IX (6)

"It may be farther characteristic of his lordship, to mention that, when a wafer was brought for the above letter, he said--"No; bring me wax, and a match: this is no time to appear hurried and informal." An unfounded idea has prevailed, that the flag of truce was sent to cover his own ships, which would inevitably have been destroyed if the Danes had not been cajoled into an armistice; and the victory is, thereby, converted into a defeat: but the victory was too decisive, to be thus ravished from his grasp. The enemy were compleatly horrified and dismayed, at the carnage and ruin which a dreadful contest of five hours had involved them in. The batteries of the town were too far distant, to have much effect even upon the ships aground; Sir Hyde Parker, with the rest of the fleet, could soon have approached; and, as to the Crown Batteries, which alone were to be dreaded, the following disposition was made for carrying them--As the flag of truce left the admiral's ship, fifteen hundred of the choicest boarders, who had been selected from the whole fleet previously to the action, descended into fifty boats, thirty men in each boat. These boats were to be commanded by the Honourable Colonel Stewart, and Captain Freemantle. The moment it could be known, that the flag of truce was refused, the boats were to have pushed for the batteries. The fire of every gun in the fleet would have covered their approach; a few minutes would have carried them there; and let any one ask himself, what defence was to be expected from five hundred raw Danish soldiers, on an ill-built battery, that gave no cover--fatigued, besides, by the carnage of a terrible battle--against such assailants, flushed with victory, and irresistible in courage." It may, however, be proper to remark, that we could have done little more than spiked the guns; as these batteries, being within the range of the fire of the citadel, were not possible to have been long retained.

The following note, in answer to that sent on shore by Lord Nelson, was brought in a flag of truce from Copenhagen, by General-Adjutant Lindholm.

"His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince, has sent me,
General-Adjutant Lindholm, on board, to his Britannic Majesty's
Vice-Admiral, the Right Honourable Lord Nelson, to ask the
particular object of sending the flag of truce?"

Though Sir Frederic Thesiger, formerly a commander in the Russian service, and who had been recommended, by Earl Spencer, to accompany Lord Nelson as what is absurdly denominated, with a very reprehensible spirit of Gallicism to introduce into the British navy, the admiral's aide-de-camp, had carried the flag of truce, with Lord Nelson's note, and was authorized verbally to enlarge on the humanity of it's import, some suspicions appear to have been entertained as to the true nature and extent of his lordship's object; and, therefore, General-Adjutant Lindholm was thus commissioned to procure a farther explanation in writing. His lordship, accordingly, addressed to the Government of Denmark the following reply.

"Lord Nelson's object in sending the flag of truce, is humanity.
He, therefore, consents that hostilities shall cease, till Lord
Nelson can take his prisoners out of the prizes; and he consents to
land all the wounded Danes, and to burn or remove his prizes.

"Lord Nelson, with humble duty to his royal highness, begs leave to
say, that he will ever esteem it the greatest victory he ever
gained, if this flag of truce may be the happy forerunner of a
lasting and happy union, between his own most gracious sovereign
and his majesty the King of Denmark.

"Nelson and Bronte.
"Elephant, 2d April 1801."

The Danish government, now wisely satisfied of Lord Nelson's sincerity, immediately invited him on shore, that a conference might be held with the King of Denmark, for arranging the preliminaries of an amicable treaty; and his lordship, without hesitation, visited Copenhagen in the afternoon of this very day.

On landing at the quay, the carriage of a respectable merchant, by whom it had been purposely sent, was respectfully offered to his lordship: the royal carriage, intended for our hero's conveyance, not having arrived sufficiently soon; owing to the suddenness of his arrival, and the vast press of people who had assembled to behold him. Much has been said, respecting the temper of this prodigious multitude, on first seeing the British hero among them: some protesting, that the conqueror of their country in the morning, was hailed, in the afternoon, as their guardian angel--which, all things considered, he perhaps well deserved to have been; while others maintain, that the people's fury was so excessive, and their knowledge of his lordship's views so imperfect, that they were with difficulty restrained from absolutely tearing in pieces the pacific hero who had thus, inspired by the most humane and generous sentiments, fearlessly ventured his person among them. It may be very difficult, and cannot on this occasion prove of much importance, to ascertain the exact truth; which seldom resides in extremes, and is not always found precisely in the centre, where dull and formal gravity is ever induced alone to seek it. Whatever might seem the momentary bias of the mob, they unquestionably proceeded to no actual outrage; and it is universally agreed, that the Danes, of all ranks, were no sooner made acquainted with our hero's humane and generous motives, than they greeted him with every testimony of the truest admiration and regard.

Lord Nelson having walked to the royal palace of the Octagon, the crown prince received him in the hall; conducted him up stairs; and presented him to the king, whose very infirm state is said to have greatly affected our hero's sensibility. The preliminary objects of this impressive interview having been arranged, with every appearance of reciprocal sincerity, his lordship readily accepted an invitation to partake of some refreshment with the crown prince. During the repast, Lord Nelson spoke in raptures of the valour of the Danes; and he is asserted to have declared that, though the French fought bravely, they could not have stood one hour the fight which the Danes had maintained for four. "I have been," observed his lordship, "in one hundred and five engagements, in the course of my life, but that of to-day was the most terrible of all." It is added, that he particularly requested the crown prince would introduce him to a very young officer, whom he described as having performed wonders during the battle, by attacking the Elephant immediately under the lower guns. This proved to be a youth of seventeen, named Villemoes: whom the hero, on his being presented, immediately embraced with the affection of a brother; and delicately intimated, that he ought to be made an admiral. The crown prince, with peculiar felicity, instantly replied--"If, my lord, I were to make all my brave officers admirals, I should have no captains or lieutenants in my service." This heroic stripling had volunteered the command of a sort of raft, called a praam, carrying twenty-four guns, and a hundred and twenty men; on which, having pushed off from shore, in the fury of battle, he got under the stern of his lordship's ship, below the reach of the stern-chasers, and fired with considerable effect. The British marines, however, made terrible slaughter among these brave fellows; many of whom were soon killed, but their young commander still remained at his post, surrounded by the slain, till the announcement of the truce. The crown prince has since presented this youth with a medallion commemorative of his gallantry, and appointed him to the command of the royal yacht in which his royal highness makes his annual visit to Holstein.

On the day following, Lord Nelson addressed the official account of this great victory to Sir Hyde Parker, his commander in chief.

"Elephant, off Copenhagen,
3d April 1801.

"SIR,

"In obedience to your directions, to report the proceedings of the
squadron named in the margin--[the Elephant, Defiance, Monarch,
Bellona, Edgar, Russell, Ganges, Glatton, Isis, Agamemnon,
Polyphemus, and Ardent, ships of the line; the Amazon, Desirée,
Blanche, and Alcmene, frigates; the Dart, Arrow, Cruiser, and
Harpy, sloops; the Zephyr, and Otter, fire-ships; the Discovery,
Sulphur, Hecla, Explosion, Zebra, Terror, and Volcano, bombs; with
eight gun-brigs]--which you did me the honour to place under my
command, I beg leave to inform you that, having by the assistance
of that able officer Captain Riou, and the unremitting exertions of
Captain Brisbane and the masters of the Amazon and Cruiser in
particular, buoyed the channel of the Outer Deep and the position
of the Middle Ground, the squadron passed in safety, and anchored
off Draco the evening of the 1st: and that, yesterday morning, I
made the signal for the squadron to weigh; and to engage the Danish
line, consisting of seven sail of the line, ten floating-batteries
mounting from twenty-six twenty-four pounders, to eighteen eighteen
pounders, and one bomb-ship, besides schooner gun-vessels. These
were supported by the Crown Islands, mounting eighty-eight cannon;
four sail of the line, moored in the harbour's mouth; and some
batteries on the island of Amak.

"The bomb-ship, and schooner gun-vessels, made their escape; the
other seventeen sail are sunk, burnt, or taken, being the whole of
the Danish line to the southward of the Crown Islands, after a
battle of four hours.

"From the very intricate navigation, the Bellona and Russell
unfortunately grounded: but, although not in the situation assigned
them, yet so placed as to be of great service. The Agamemnon could
not weather the shoal of the Middle Ground, and was obliged to
anchor: but not the smallest blame can be attached to Captain
Fancourt; it was an event to which all the ships were liable. These
accidents prevented the extension of our line by the three ships
before mentioned: who would, I am confident, have silenced the
Crown Islands, the two outer ships in the harbour's mouth, and
prevented the heavy loss in the Defiance and Monarch; and which
unhappily threw the gallant and good Captain Riou (to whom I had
given the command of the frigates and sloops named in the
margin--[the Blanche, Alcmene, Dart, Arrow, Zephyr, and Otter]--to
assist the attack of the ships at the harbour's mouth) under a very
heavy fire. The consequence has been, the death of Captain Riou,
and many brave officers and men in the frigates and sloops. The
bombs were directed, and took their stations, abreast of the
Elephant, and threw some shells into the arsenal. Captain Rose, who
volunteered his services to direct the gun-brigs, did every thing
that was possible to get them forward, but the current was too
strong for them to be of service during the action; but not the
less merit was due to Captain Rose, and--I believe--all the
officers and crews of the gun-vessels, for their exertions.

"The boats of those ships of the fleet who were not ordered on the
attack, afforded us every assistance; and the officers and men who
were in them, merit my warmest approbation.

"The Desirée took her station in raking the southernmost Danish
ship of the line, and performed the greatest service.

"The action began at five minutes past ten. The van led by Captain
George Murray of the Edgar, who set a noble example of
intrepidity, which was as well followed up by every captain,
officer, and man, in the squadron. It is my duty to state to you,
the high and distinguished merit and gallantry of Rear-Admiral
Graves.

"To Captain Foley, who permitted me the honour of hoisting my flag
in the Elephant, I feel under the greatest obligations; his advice
was necessary, on many important occasions, during the battle. I
beg leave to express how much I feel indebted to every captain,
officer, and man, for their zeal and distinguished bravery on this
occasion. Colonel Stewart did me the favour to be on board the
Elephant; and himself, with every officer and soldier under his
orders, shared with pleasure the toils and dangers of the day.

"The loss, in such a battle, has naturally been very heavy. Amongst
many other brave officers and men who were killed, I have, with
sorrow, to place the name of Captain Moss, of the Monarch, who has
left a wife and six children to lament his loss; and, among the
wounded, that of Captain Sir Thomas Boulden Thompson, of the
Bellona.

"I have the honour to be, with the greatest respect, Sir, your most
obedient humble servant,

"Nelson and Bronte."

The above letter being transmitted to England by Sir Hyde Parker, inclosed in his dispatches to government, was afterwards published in the London Gazette, preceded by the following public letter from the commander in chief.

"Copenhagen Roads, 6th April 1801.

"Sir,

"You will be pleased to acquaint the Lords Commissioners
of the Admiralty, that since my letter of the 23d of March, no
opportunity of wind offered for going up the Sound, until the 25th;
when the wind shifted, in a most violent squall, from the
south-west to the north-west and north, and blew with such
violence, and so great a sea, as to render it impossible for any
ship to have weighed her anchor. The wind and sea were even so
violent, as to oblige many ships to let go a second anchor to
prevent them from driving, notwithstanding they were riding with
two cables an end; and, by the morning, the wind veered again to
the southward of the west. On the 30th of last month, the wind
having come to the northward, we passed into the Sound with the
fleet; but not before I had assured myself of the hostile intention
of the Danes to oppose our passage. After anchoring about five or
six miles from the Island of Huen, I reconnoitred, with
Vice-Admiral Lord Nelson and Rear-Admiral Graves, the formidable
line of ships, radeaus, pontoons, galleys, fireships, and
gun-boats, flanked and supported by extensive batteries on the two
islands called the Crown; the largest of which was mounted with
from fifty to seventy pieces of cannon. These were again commanded
by two ships of seventy guns, and a large frigate, in the inner
road of Copenhagen; and two sixty-four gun ships, without masts,
were moored on the flat on the starboard side of the entrance into
the arsenal. The day after, the wind being southerly, we again
examined their position, and came to the resolution of attacking
them from the southward. Vice-Admiral Lord Nelson having offered
his services for conducting the attack, had some days before we
entered the Sound shifted his flag to the Elephant; and, after
having examined and buoyed the outer channel of the Middle Ground,
his lordship proceeded, with the twelve ships of the line named in
the margin--[Elephant, Defiance, Monarch, Bellona, Edgar, Russell,
Ganges, Glatton, Isis, Agamemnon, Polyphemus, and Ardent]--all the
frigates, bombs, fire-ships, and all the small vessels; and, that
evening, anchored off Draco Point, to make his disposition for the
attack, and wait for the wind to the southward. It was agreed,
between us, that the remaining ships with me, should weigh at the
same moment his lordship did, and menace the Crown Batteries and
the four ships of the line that lay at the entrance of the arsenal;
as, also, to cover our disabled ships, as they came out of action.

"I have, now, the honour to inclose a copy of Vice-Admiral Lord
Nelson's report to me of the action on the 2d instant. His lordship
has stated so fully the whole of his proceedings on that day, as
only to leave me the opportunity to testify my entire acquiescence
and testimony of the bravery and intrepidity with which the action
was supported throughout the line. Was it possible for me to add
anything to the well-earned renown of Lord Nelson, it would be by
asserting that his exertions, great as they have heretofore been,
never were carried to a higher pitch of zeal for his country's
service. I have only to lament, that the sort of attack, confined
within an intricate and narrow passage, excluded the ships
particularly under my command from the opportunity of exhibiting
their valour: but I can with great truth assert, that the same
spirit and zeal animated the whole of the fleet; and I trust, that
the contest in which we are engaged will, on some future day,
afford them an occasion of shewing that the whole were inspired
with the same spirit, had the field been sufficiently extensive to
have brought it into action.

"It is with the deepest concern, I mention the loss of Captains
Moss and Riou; two very brave and gallant officers, whose loss, as
I am well informed, will be sensibly felt by the families they have
left behind them: the former, a wife and children; the latter, an
aged mother. From the known gallantry of Sir Thomas Thompson, on
former occasions, the naval service will have to regret the loss of
the future exertions of that brave officer, whose leg was shot off.
For all other particulars, I beg leave to refer their lordships to
Captain Otway; who was with Lord Nelson in the latter part of the
action, and is able to answer any questions that may be thought
necessary to put to him. A return of the killed and wounded you
will receive herewith."

KILLED.

Officers 20
Seamen, Marines, and Soldiers 234--254

WOUNDED.

Officers 48
Seamen, Marines, and Soldiers 651-699
---
Total killed and wounded 953
---

After a week's negotiation, during which Lord Nelson daily went on shore, and greatly endeared himself to the virtuous of all ranks, for his amiable frankness, generosity, and honour, the following treaty was signed and sealed, as the basis of returning amity between Great Britain and Denmark.

"The Danish Government on the one hand--and Admiral Sir Hyde
Parker, Knight, Commander in Chief of his Britannic Majesty's
Forces in the Road of Copenhagen, on the other--being, from motives
of humanity, equally anxious to put a stop to the farther effusion
of blood, and to save the City of Copenhagen from the disastrous
consequences which may attend a farther prosecution of hostilities
against that city, have mutually agreed upon a Military Armistice,
or Suspension of Arms. His Danish Majesty having, for that purpose,
appointed Major-General Ernest Frederic Walterstorff, Chamberlain
to his Danish Majesty, and Colonel to a Regiment; and
Adjutant-General Hans Lindholm, Captain in his Danish Majesty's
Navy; his Commissioners for agreeing about the terms of the said
Armistice--and Admiral Sir Hyde Parker, Knight, having, with the
same view, duly authorized the Right Honourable Horatio Lord Nelson
of the Nile, Knight of the most honourable Order of the Bath, Duke
of Bronte in Sicily, Knight of the Grand Cross of the Order of St.
Ferdinand and of Merit, and of the Imperial Order of the Ottoman
Crescent, Vice-Admiral in the Fleet of his Britannic Majesty; and
the Right Honourable William Stewart, Lieutenant-Colonel in his
Britannic Majesty's service, and commanding a detachment of his
Britannic Majesty's forces embarked--the said Commissioners have
met this day; and, having exchanged their respective powers, have
agreed upon the following terms--

"ARTICLE I.

"From the moment of the signature of this armistice, all
hostilities shall immediately cease, between the fleet under the
command of Admiral Sir Hyde Parker, and the City of Copenhagen, and
all the armed ships and vessels of his Danish Majesty in the road
or harbour of that city; as, likewise, between the different
islands and provinces of Denmark, Jutland included.

"ARTICLE II.

"The armed ships and vessels belonging to his Danish Majesty shall
remain in their present actual situation, as to armament,
equipment, and hostile position; and the treaty, commonly
understood as the treaty of Armed Neutrality, shall, as far as
relates to the co-operation of Denmark, be suspended while the
Armistice remains in force.

"On the other side, the armed ships and vessels under the command
of Admiral Sir Hyde Parker, shall in no manner whatsoever molest
the City of Copenhagen, or his Danish Majesty's armed ships and
vessels on the coasts of the different islands and provinces of
Denmark, Jutland included; and, in order to avoid every thing which
might otherwise create uneasiness or jealousy, Sir Hyde Parker
shall not suffer any of the ships or vessels under his command to
approach within gun-shot of the armed ships or forts of his Danish
Majesty, in the road of Copenhagen. This restriction shall not,
however, extend to vessels necessarily passing and repassing
through the Casper or King's Channel.

"ARTICLE III.

"This armistice is to protect the city of Copenhagen, as also the
coast of Denmark, of Jutland, and islands included, against the
attack of any other naval force which his Britannic Majesty may
now, or hereafter, during it's remaining in force, have in those
seas.

"ARTICLE IV.

"The fleet of Admiral Sir Hyde Parker shall be permitted to provide
itself at Copenhagen, and along the coasts of the different islands
and provinces of Denmark, Jutland included, with every thing which
it may require for the health and comfort of it's crews.

"ARTICLE V.

"Admiral Sir Hyde Parker shall send on shore all such subjects of
his Danish Majesty as are now on board the British fleet under his
command; the Danish government engaging to give an acknowledgment
for them, as also for all such wounded as were permitted to be
landed after the action of the 2d instant, in order that they may
be accounted for in favour of Great Britain, in the unfortunate
event of the renewal of hostilities.

"ARTICLE VI.

"The coasting trade carried on by Denmark along all such parts of
her coast as are included in the operation of this armistice, shall
be unmolested by any British ships or vessels whatever, and
instructions given accordingly by Admiral Sir Hyde Parker.

"ARTICLE VII.

"This armistice is to continue, uninterrupted by the contracting
parties, for the space of fourteen weeks from the signature hereof;
at the expiration of which time, it shall be in the power of either
of the said parties to declare a cessation of the same, and to
recommence hostilities, upon giving fourteen days previous notice.

"The conditions of this armistice are, upon all occasions, to be
explained in the most liberal and loyal manner, so as to remove all
ground for farther dispute, and facilitate the means of bringing
about the restoration of harmony and good understanding between the
two kingdoms.

"In faith whereof, we, the undersigned commissioners, in virtue of
our full powers, have signed the present armistice, and have
affixed to it the seal of our arms.

"Done on board his Britannic Majesty's ship the London, in Copenhagen
Roads, April 9, 1801.

"Nelson and Bronte.
"William Stewart.
"Ernest Frederic Walterstorff.
"Hans Lindholm.

"In pursuance of my abovementioned authority, I ratify this document
with my hand--

"Frederic.

"Ratified by me--

"Hyde Parker, Admiral and Commander in Chief of his Britannic
Majesty's Fleet."

The Danes had great reason to be satisfied with the liberality of this armistice; the conditions of which certainly were, on our part, most strictly performed. It will appear that, on the part of Denmark, this was not precisely the case. Lord Nelson's conduct, however, at once firm and conciliating, procured justice to his country without again resorting to arms. The first blow had been struck by Denmark, and she had suffered for her rashness and temerity. Even in passing the Sound, her guns evinced the disposition, but happily possessed not the power, to injure the British fleet. A very heavy fire was kept up by the Danes, but none of our ships received a shot. In the mean time, we had several bomb-ships firing on the town of Elsineur, the shells from which killed upwards of a hundred and fifty people on shore. At Copenhagen, still more confident in their strength, they had made every arrangement for the destruction of our fleet, but no preparation for the defeat of their own. Shielded by nature with dangerous shoals, and fortified by art with powerful batteries, they seemed rather to invite, than to dread, any hostile attack. They reflected not, that the hero coming against them was no less expert as a navigator than as a warrior, and scarcely more a seaman than a soldier. Happily his heroic heart was replete with humanity, and his dreadful ability to shed human blood only surpassed by his ardent desire to spare it's unnecessary effusion. The Danes, trusting to the strength of their grand line of defence, composed of eighteen ships, block-ships, floating-batteries, &c. which were all, in a few hours, sunk, burnt, or taken, had neglected to engage surgeons for their wounded defenders; who were found bleeding to death, on boarding the different captured vessels, in prodigious numbers, and afforded a shocking spectacle of horror to our brave but humane seamen. To preserve his fellow creatures from wanton destruction, the hero's flag of truce unfurled; a pause was thus obtained; reason had time to operate; and the basis was immediately laid for a renewal of that amity which had happily prevailed, for a long series of years, between the two nations, though anciently the fiercest foes.

The news of this victory was received in England with the utmost rejoicing; nor did the temper of the people fail to participate in their favourite hero's generous sentiments towards the brave but vanquished Danes. They considered Denmark as having been unwillingly dragged into the confederacy; they admired the patriotic courage of her misdirected sons; and generously lamented the cruel necessity of thus compelling them to relinquish a league, which had for it's object, beneath the artful veil of a generous love of liberty, that has sufficiently deluged the earth with blood, the unjust and absurd view of destroying the maritime power of Great Britain, by which the freedom of the, seas is alone preserved to the honourable commerce of all civilized nations.

On the 16th of April, the Earl of St. Vincent, then First Lord of the Admiralty, made a motion in the House of Peers--and Mr. Addington, now Lord Sidmouth, then Chancellor of the Exchequer, in the House of Commons--of thanks to Sir Hyde Parker, Lord Nelson, Rear Admiral Graves, and the rest of the officers, seamen, and marines, for their very exemplary bravery displayed in the great and glorious victory atchieved at Copenhagen; which were carried, in both houses, with acclamations of unanimous applause. The Duke of Clarence observed, of his old friend, Lord Nelson, whom he ever loved and revered, that fortune seemed to back his courage and intrepidity, in every enterprise he engaged; and acknowledged his own obligations, as a prince of the blood, to the gallant commanders, and to the whole fleet, for the accomplishment of a victory which, probably, in it's effects, would restore the possessions on the continent to his family, together with the peace and security of the British empire, and of Europe. About a month afterwards, Lord Nelson was elevated to the rank of Viscount of the united kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, by the name, stile, and title, of Viscount Nelson of the Nile, and of Burnham-Thorpe in the county of Norfolk; an additional honour which was generally and justly considered, at the time, and must ever be regarded by posterity, as by no means equal to his high deserts.

In the mean time, immediately after signing the convention with Denmark, Russia and Sweden remaining still unattacked, Sir Hyde Parker had proceeded to the eastward, with such ships as were in a condition for service: leaving Lord Nelson at Copenhagen, with orders to repair his damaged ships, and dispose of the prizes; after which, he was to follow the commander in chief, and assist in accomplishing the other designs of this very important expedition. The repairs were not long compleating, and the prizes were soon disposed of; of the latter, all but one--the Holstein of sixty-four guns--were found entirely unfit for service, and immediately destroyed. Even this solitary remain of the Danish formidable line of defence, was only judged worthy of being commissioned as an hospital-ship in the British fleet; yet villainy and weakness united to wrest from our hero the honour of a compleat victory, even on the spot where it had been felt as well as witnessed.

Lord Nelson, after the battle of the 2d of April, had returned with his flag to the St. George; and, on the 16th, was ready to proceed after the commander in chief, who had entered the Baltic, and greatly alarmed the Russians, Prussians, and Swedes. Most of the squadron of his lordship, however, touched the ground, in their passage through the narrow and shallow channel which divides the islands of Amak and Saltholm, and two or three of them actually sticking fast for a short time, he was detained, even after they did pass, to have the St. George lightened, which drew still more water than the rest, by taking out the guns, and putting them on board an American ship. While this was effecting, the report of the Swedish fleet being out, with an intention to join that of Russia, then lying at Revel, reached his lordship. The instant he received this intelligence, though it was then a very cold evening of that climate, he descended into his gig, or smallest boat; and, after being so exposed on the water several hours, got again on board the Elephant, the former bearer of his flag and triumph. Lord Nelson, in his extreme haste to quit the St. George, had neglected to take his boat-cloak; but he would not lose a moment in returning for it, notwithstanding the inclemency of the weather and the great distance he had necessarily to go. A master of one of the ships, who was ordered to attend, earnestly pressed his lordship's acceptance of a great coat which he had brought for himself. This, however, was as kindly refused, as it had been affectionately tendered--"I thank you," said the hero, "very much; but, to tell you the truth, my anxiety, at present, keeps me sufficiently warm." Soon afterwards, his lordship asked--"Think you, that the British fleet has quitted Bornholm? If it has," continued he, without waiting for a reply, "we must follow it to Carlscrona." His lordship had arrived about midnight; and, the next day, saw the Swedish armament safely sheltered under the numerous forts and batteries erected on the island at the entrance of Carlscrona; where, as he suspected, it had taken timely refuge from the British fleet. Sir Hyde Parker, while on his voyage to Revel, having gained intelligence of the intended junction of the Swedish fleet with that of the Russians against which he was proceeding, had immediately steered his course for the Island of Bornholm, with the hope of intercepting the Swedes; but the commander, warned by the Danish disaster, wisely retreated from the danger of a similar encounter, by returning into port with the utmost precipitation.

Scarcely had Lord Nelson quitted Copenhagen, where he could not but have endeared himself to every virtuous heart, by his amiable liberality of disposition--bountifully rewarding youth of promise in the national military schools of the Danes, as if he had been dealing honours among the deserving of his own country, and every way displaying the superior cast of his dignified soul--when he learned that Olfert Fischer, the Danish commander in chief, had officially published the following shamefully partial account of this indisputably great and glorious victory, as transmitted to his Royal Highness the Crown Prince.

DANISH OFFICIAL ACCOUNT OF THE BATTLE OF COPENHAGEN.

"On the 1st of April, at half past three in the afternoon, two
divisions of the English fleet, under the command of Vice-Admiral
Lord Nelson, and a rear-admiral, weighed anchor, and stood
eastward, and by the south of the middle passage of the road, where
they anchored. This force consisted of twelve ships of the line;
and several large frigates, gun-boats, and other smaller vessels;
in all, thirty-one sail.

"On the 2d of April, at three-quarters past nine in the morning,
the wind south-east, both the vessels to the south and the vessels
to the north of the middle road, weighed anchor. The ships of the
line, and heavy frigates, under Lord Nelson, steered for the
Konigstiefe, to take their stations, in order, along the line of
defence confided to me. The gunboats, and small vessels, took their
stations near the town; and the division of Admiral Parker,
consisting of eight ships of the line, and some small vessels,
steered with a press of sail southwards, to the right wing of
defence.

"At half past ten, the foremost ship of Admiral Nelson's division
passed the southernmost ship of the line of defence. I gave those
ships that were within shot the signal for battle. The block-ships,
Provesteen, and Wagner, and immediately after these the Jutland,
between which and the block-ship Dannebrog, the leading English
ship of seventy-four guns fixed her station, by throwing out one of
her rear-anchors, obeyed the signal, by a well directed and well
supported fire. By degrees, the rest of the ships came up; and, as
they sailed past, on both sides of the ships already at anchor,
they formed a thick line: which, as it stretched northward to the
ship of the line the Zealand, engaged not more than two-thirds of
the line of defence committed to me; while the Trekroner--or Three
Crowns Battery--and the block-ships Elephanten and Mars, with the
frigate Hielperen, did not come at all into the action.

"In half an hour, the battle was general. Ten ships of the line,
among which was one of eighty guns, the rest chiefly seventy-fours,
and from six to eight frigates, on the one side: on the other,
seven block-ships; of which, only one of seventy-four, the rest of
sixty-four and under; two frigates; and six smaller vessels. _This
was the respective strength of the two parties_. The enemy had, on
the whole, _two ships to one_: and the block-ship Provesteen had,
besides a ship of the line and the rear-admiral, two frigates
against her; by which she was raked the whole time, without being
able to return a shot.

"If I only recapitulate, _historically_, what your highness, and
along with you a great portion of the citizens of Denmark and
Europe, have seen, I may venture to call that an unequal combat,
which was maintained, and supported, for four hours and a half,
with unexampled courage and effect--in which the fire of the
superior force was so much weakened, for an hour before the end of
the battle, that several of the English ships, and particularly
Lord Nelson's, were obliged to fire only single shots--that this
hero, himself, in the middle and very heat of the battle, sent a
flag of truce on shore to propose a cessation of hostilities--if I
also add, that _it was announced to me, that two English ships of
the line had struck_; but, being supported by fresh ships, again
hoisted their flags--I may, in such circumstances, be permitted to
say, and I believe _I may appeal to the enemy's own confession_,
that in this engagement Denmark's ancient naval reputation blazed
forth with such incredible splendor, that I thank Heaven all Europe
are the witnesses of it!

"Yet the scale, if not equal, did not decline far to the
disadvantage of Denmark. The ships that were first and most
obstinately attacked, even surrounded by the enemy, the
incomparable Provesteen, Wagner, and Jutland, fought till almost
all their guns were dismounted; but these vessels were obliged to
give way to superior force, _and the Danish fire ceased along the
whole line from north to south_.

"At half past eleven, the Dannebrog ship of the line, which, lay
along-side Admiral Nelson, was set on fire. I repaired, with my
flag, on board the Holstein, of the line, belonging to the north
wing; _but the Dannebrog long kept her flag flying, in spite of
this disaster_. At the end of the battle, she had two hundred and
seventy men killed and wounded.

"At half past two, the Holstein was so shattered, and had so many
killed and wounded, and so many guns dismounted, that I _then
carried the pendant to be hoisted instead of my flag, and went on
shore, to the battery of the Three Crowns_, from whence I commanded
the north wing; _which was slightly engaged with the division of
Admiral Parker_, till about four o'clock, when I received orders
from your royal highness to put an end to the engagement.

"Thus, the quarter of the line of defence, from the Three Crowns to
the frigate Hielperen, was in the power of the enemy; and the
Hielperen, finding herself alone, slipped her cables, and steered
to Stirbfeir. The ship Elven, after she had received many shots in
the hull, and had her masts and rigging shot away, and a great
number killed and wounded, retreated within the Crowns. The
gunboats, Nyebrog and Aggershuus--which last towed the former away,
when near sinking--ran ashore, and the Gurnarshe floating-battery,
which had suffered much, together with the block-ship Dannebrog,
shortly after the battle, blew up.

"Besides the visible loss the enemy have suffered, I am convinced,
their loss in killed and wounded is considerable. The advantage the
enemy have gained by their victory, too, _consists merely in ships
which are not fit for use, in spiked cannon, and gunpowder damaged
by sea-water_.

"The number killed and wounded cannot yet be exactly ascertained;
but I calculate it, from sixteen to eighteen hundred men. Among the
former, it is with grief that I mention the captains of the
block-ship Infoedstratten and the frigate Kronbrog, Captain Thura
and First-Lieutenant Hauch, with several other brave officers:
among the wounded, the commander of the Dannebrog; who, besides
other wounds, has lost his right hand.

"I want expression, to do justice to the unexampled courage of the
officers and crews. The battle itself can only enable you to form
an idea of it.

"Olfert Fischer."

The honourable mind of Lord Nelson indignantly revolted at the meanness conspicuous in this account; and he was resolved to chastise the pusillanimous malignity which it was so clumsily adapted to cover, by addressing the following letter, through General-Adjutant Lindholm, to the Crown Prince of Denmark, that his royal highness might see his lordship's sense of such a wretched attempt to deprive our hero of the honour of a victory, and screen the Danish commander in chief, himself, from the dreaded shame of a defeat not in itself by any means disgraceful.

"St. George, at Sea,
22d April 1801.

"MY DEAR SIR,

"Commodore Fischer having, in a public letter, given an account to
the world of the battle of the 2d, called upon his royal highness
as a witness to the truth of it. I, therefore, think it right to
address myself to you, for the information of his royal highness;
as, I assure you, had this officer confined himself to his own
veracity, I should have treated his official letter with the
contempt it deserved, and allowed the world to appreciate the
merits of the two contending officers. I shall make a few, and very
few, observations on this letter. He asserts the superiority of
numbers on the part of the British; it will turn out, if that is of
any consequence, that the Danish line of defence, to the southward
of the Crown Islands, was much stronger, and more numerous, than
the British. We had only five sail of seventy-fours, two
sixty-fours, two fifties, and one frigate, engaged; a bomb vessel,
towards the latter end, threw some shells into the arsenal. Two
seventy-fours, and one sixty-four, by an accident, grounded; or the
Crown Islands, and the Elephanten and Mars, would have had full
employment: and, by the assistance of the frigates--who went to
try, alone, what I had directed the three sail of the line who
grounded to assist them in--I have reason to hope, they would have
been equally successful as that part of the British line engaged. I
am ready to admit, that many of the Danish officers and men behaved
as well as men could do, and deserved not to be abandoned by their
commander. I am justified in saying this, from Commodore Fischer's
own declaration. In his own letter, he states that, after he
quitted the Dannebrog, she long contested the battle. If so, more
shame for him to quit so many brave fellows! _Here_ was no
manoeuvering, it was downright fighting; and it was his duty to
have shewn an example of firmness becoming the high trust reposed
in him. He went in such a hurry, if he went before she
struck--which, but for his own declaration, I can hardly
believe--that he forgot to take his broad pendant with him, for
both pendant and ensign were struck together; and it is from this
circumstance, that I claimed the commodore as a prisoner of war. He
then went, as he says, on board the Holstein--the brave captain of
which did not want him--where he did not hoist his pendant. From
this ship, he went on shore, either before or after she struck, or
he would have been again a prisoner. As to his nonsense about
victory, his royal highness will not much credit him. I sunk,
burnt, captured, or drove into the harbour, the whole line of
defence to the southward of the Crown Islands. He says, he is told
that two British ships struck. Why did he not take possession of
them? I took possession of his as fast as they struck. The reason
is clear, that he did not believe it. He must have known the
falsity of the report, and that no fresh British ships did come
near the ships engaged. He states, that the ship in which I had the
honour to hoist my flag fired, latterly, only single guns. It is
true; for steady and cool were my brave fellows, and did not wish
to throw away a single shot. He seems to exult, that I sent on
shore a flag of truce. Men of his description, if they ever are
victorious, know not the feel of humanity. You know, and his royal
highness knows, that the guns fired from the shore could only fire
through the Danish ships which had surrendered; and that, if I
fired at the shore, it could only be in the same manner. God
forbid, that I should destroy an unresisting Dane! _When they
became my prisoners, I became their protector_. Humanity alone,
could have been my object; but Mr. Fischer's carcase was safe, and
he regarded not the sacred call of humanity. His royal highness
thought as I did. It has brought about an armistice; which, I pray
the Almighty, may bring about a happy reconciliation between the
two kingdoms. As I have not the names of all the ships
correct--only of the thirteen, including the seven sail of the line
which struck, remained at anchor, and fell into my possession after
the battle--I shall, therefore, be very much obliged to you, for a
correct list of their names; and the number of men, if possible to
be obtained, on board each, and the numbers sent from the shore
during the action. My earnest wish is, to be correct; and believe
me, dear Sir, with great esteem, your most obedient servant,

"Nelson and Bronte."

"General-Adjutant Lindholm."

Whatever severity may appear in this retort, it's, justice would be with difficulty refuted. The answer of General-Adjutant Lindholm apologizes, with very considerable address, for the commander in chief; but that honourable officer's reasoning is also tinctured with as much national partiality as is consistent with a due regard to truth. This is no uncommon effect of patriotic zeal in the best minds, and may be traced even in that of our hero.

"Copenhagen, 2d May 1801.

"MY LORD!

"Your lordship has imposed upon me a very painful task, by desiring
me to communicate to his Royal Highness the Crown Prince the
contents of that letter with which your lordship has favoured me
the 22d of April; and in which you have treated Commodore Fischer
with a severity which, as a brother officer, I cannot but think too
great, indeed, I conceive, that your lordship has felt a certain
degree of displeasure at that incorrectness which you have thought
to find in Commodore Fischer's official report; but your lordship
did not fully consider, at that moment, that he himself might have
received incorrect reports: a fatality to which every commander in
chief is exposed. I flatter myself, from your lordship's well-known
candour and indulgence, that you will not think it presuming in me,
or contrary to the respect I feel for your lordship, if I take the
liberty of offering you some few observations in vindication of the
conduct of Commodore Fischer. But, first, let me have the honour to
assure your lordship, that I have not communicated to that officer
your letter of the 22d of April; and that, what I take the liberty
of offering your lordship, is absolutely my private and individual
opinion.

"Your lordship thinks, that Commodore Fischer has over-rated the
forces by which he was attacked, and under-rated his own; or, that
he wrongly asserts the superiority of numbers on the part of the
British. I must confess, that I am now, as I have always been, of
opinion, that the squadron with which your lordship attacked our
southern line of defence, say all those ships and vessels lying to
the southward of the Crown Battery, was stronger then than that
line. I will say nothing about our not having time sufficient to
man our ships in the manner it was intended: they being badly
manned, both as to number and as to quality of their crews, the
greatest part of which were landmen; people that had been pressed,
and who never before had been on board a ship or used to the
exercise of guns. I will not mention our ships being old and
rotten, and not having one-third of our usual complement of
officers; I will confine myself to the number of guns, and from the
ships named in your lordship's official report: and there I find,
that your squadron carried one thousand and fifty-eight guns, of
much greater calibre than our's; exclusive of carronnades, which
did our ships so much injury; also, exclusive of your gun-brigs and
bomb-vessels.

"Now, I can assure your lordship, upon my honour, that to my
certain knowledge the number of guns on board of those eighteen
ships and vessels of our's which were engaged (including the small
ship the Elbe, which came into the harbour towards the end of the
action) amount to six hundred and thirty-four, I have not included
our eleven gun-boats, carrying each two guns, as a couple of them
only had an opportunity of firing a few shot. Nor need I to
mention the Crown Battery, on which sixty-six guns were mounted, as
that battery did not fairly get into action, and only fired a few
random shot.

"When Commodore Fischer left the Dannebrog, that ship was on fire,
had many killed, several of it's officers wounded, and otherwise
suffered much. It was, I conceive, the duty of the commander, to
remove his broad pendant to another ship; and he went on board the
Holstein, from whence he commanded the line of defence; and where
he remained two hours, his broad pendant flying on board the said
ship. When this ship was mostly disabled, the Commodore went to the
Crown Battery, which also was under his command. He would, in my
humble opinion, have been justified, from the wound he received on
his head, to quit the command altogether, when he left the
Dannebrog; and no blame could ever have attached, for it, to his
character as a soldier. I have given myself every possible pain, to
be informed whether Commodore Fischer's pendant has been removed
before or after the ship struck; and the officers all agree, in
declaring, that the broad pendant has been replaced by a captain's
pendant, both on board the Dannebrog and the Holstein, previous to
those ships hauling down their ensign. It is even remarkable that,
on board the Dannebrog, the man who had taken down the broad
pendant, and hoisted the captain's pendant, was killed when coming
down the shrouds, and fell upon deck with the commodore's pendant
in his hand.

"I do not conceive that Commodore Fischer had the least idea of
claiming as a victory what to every intent and purpose was a
defeat: he has only thought, that this defeat was not an inglorious
one; and, that our officers and men displayed much bravery and
firmness, against force so superior in every respect. Your
lordship's report, and your letter to me, proves it. I confess,
that your lordship took all the vessels opposed to you; except
five, carrying together eighty-six guns. I am of opinion, with your
lordship, that three ships of seventy-four guns each would have
been a hard match for the Three Crowns Battery; but, they certainly
would have been forced to go away.

"As to your lordship's motive for sending a flag of truce to our
government, it can never be misconstrued; and your subsequent
conduct has sufficiently shewn, that humanity is always the
companion of true valour. You have done more; you have shewn
yourself a friend of the re-establishment of peace, and good
harmony, between this country and Great Britain. It is, therefore,
with the sincerest esteem, I shall always feel myself attached to
your lordship; and it is with the greatest respect I have the
honour to subscribe myself, my lord, your lordship's most obedient
and most humble servant,

"H. Lindholm."

On these respective letters, the judicious part of mankind will judge for themselves. We need not have blushed for a Lindholm, but we have reason to glory in our Nelson. Olfert Fischer, notwithstanding the arguments of his able apologist, must always be considered as having been superabundantly solicitous for the safety of his own person: in leaving two different ships, by his own confession, while the respective crews continued fighting; and finally retiring, to continue his command, under cover of a powerful battery on shore. His roundly asserting, that we had two ships for one, and that he was told two English ships had struck; his ungenerous and distorted application of Lord Nelson's noble acknowledgment of the general bravery of the Danes; and the low source of solace that he finds in disingenuously limiting the advantage gained by the victory to the possession of a few wretched wrecks, without at all appreciating the grand political consequences which it so fully accomplished; exhibit, in the whole, a disposition meanly selfish, conspicuously sordid, and deplorably deficient in all the most lofty qualities of mind. What a contrast to our immortal Nelson! whose single sentence, in his letter of rebuke for this man--"_God forbid that I should destroy an unresisting Dane!_ When they became my prisoners, I became their protector!"--deserves to be charactered with letters of diamonds on the shrine destined to cover the hero's hallowed remains.

Lord Nelson did not think it necessary to differ with his friend Lindholm, an undoubted man of honour, about punctilious particulars. To his own mind, however, or that of an enemy, he would not abate a particle of what he had asserted. The following statement is copied from a private memorandum of his lordship's, in which he acutely turns the scale of superior force against the Danes.

"Lindholm ought to have omitted the guns of the Russell, Bellona,
Agamemnon, Amazon, Alcmene, Blanche, Dart, and Arrow; as the two
first were aground; and, although within random shot, yet unable to
do that service expected from seventy-four gun ships. The Agamemnon
was not within three miles; the others, frigates and sloops, were
exposed to a part of the Crown Battery and the ships in the other
channel, but not fired upon by the eighteen sail drawn up to the
southward of the Crown Islands. Therefore, sixty-six guns are to be
taken from the British, and a hundred and sixty-six guns added to
the Danes: viz. sixty-six, Crown Batteries--(I think, there were
eighty-eight)--and a hundred for the batteries on Amack; besides
random shot from the ships in the other channel, citadel, &c.
Therefore, the account ought to stand thus--

Guns, by Lindholm's account 1058
Deduct, as above 366
----
British force in action 692
----

Danish force, by Lindholm's account 634
Add, I say, at least 166

Danish force 800
British force 692

Superiority of the Danes 108"

Though Lord Nelson could not have rested without satisfying himself of the precise fact, he saw no necessity for entering into any altercation, on so trivial a topic, with General-Adjutant Lindholm. He contented himself, therefore, with immediately closing the subject, by the following very liberal reply.

St. George, May 3d, 1801.

"MY DEAR LORD,