Harper's New Monthly Magazine, No. XXVI, July 1852, Vol. VVarious
History
Harper's New Monthly Magazine, No. XXVI, July 1852, Vol. V
Various
American literature -- Periodicals; Civilization -- Periodicals; Culture -- Periodicals
belonging to these powers, wherever they could be found. The ocean
instantly swarmed with English privateersmen. Her navy was active
every where. There had been no proclamation of war issued. The
merchants of Europe were entirely unsuspicious of any such calamity.
Their ships were all exposed. By thousands they were swept into the
ports of England. More than half of the ships, belonging to the
northern powers, then at sea, were captured.
Russia, Denmark, and Sweden, had a large armament in the Baltic. A
powerful English fleet was sent for its destruction. The terrible
energies of Nelson, so resplendent at Aboukir, were still more
resplendent at Copenhagen. A terrific conflict ensued. The capital of
Denmark was filled with weeping and woe, for thousands of her most
noble sons, the young and the joyous, were weltering in blood. "I have
been," said Nelson, "in above a hundred engagements; but that of
Copenhagen was the most terrible of them all."
In the midst of this terrific cannonade, Nelson was rapidly walking
the quarter-deck, which was slippery with blood and covered with the
dead, who could not be removed as fast as they fell. A heavy shot
struck the main-mast, scattering the splinters in every direction. He
looked upon the devastation around him, and, sternly smiling, said,
"This is warm work, and this day may be the last to any of us in a
moment. But mark me, I would not be elsewhere for thousands." This was
heroic, but it was not noble. It was the love of war, not the love of
humanity. It was the spirit of an Indian chieftain, not the spirit of
a Christian Washington. The commander-in-chief of the squadron, seeing
the appalling carnage, hung out the signal for discontinuing the
action. Nelson was for a moment deeply agitated, and then exclaimed to
a companion, "I have but one eye. I have a right to be blind
sometimes." Then, putting the glass to his blind eye, he said, "I
really don't see the signal. Keep mine for closer battle still flying.
That is the way I answer such signals. Nail mine to the mast." The
human mind is so constituted that it must admire heroism. That
sentiment is implanted in every generous breast for some good purpose.
Welmoes, a gallant young Dane, but seventeen years of age, stationed
himself on a small raft, carrying six guns with twenty-four men,
directly under the bows of Nelson's ship. The unprotected raft was
swept by an incessant storm of bullets from the English marines. Knee
deep in the dead this fearless stripling continued to keep up his fire
to the close of the conflict. The next day, Nelson met him at a repast
at the palace. Admiring the gallantry of his youthful enemy, he
embraced him with enthusiasm, exclaiming to the Crown Prince, "He
deserves to be made an admiral." "Were I to make all my brave officers
admirals," replied the Prince, "I should have no captains or
lieutenants in my service."
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