Naval battles of the world : $b Great and decisive contests on the sea ... with an account of the Japan-China war and the recent battle of the Yalu; the growth, power, and management of our new Navy.Shippen, Edward
History
Naval battles of the world : $b Great and decisive contests on the sea ... with an account of the Japan-China war and the recent battle of the Yalu; the growth, power, and management of our new Navy.
Shippen, Edward
Naval battles; Sino-Japanese War, 1894-1895; United States. Navy
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.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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