The Prince-Royal had taken his station upon one of the batteries, from
whence he beheld the action and issued his orders. Denmark had never
been engaged in so arduous a contest, and never did the Danes more
nobly display their national courage--a courage not more unhappily
than impolitically exerted in subserviency to the interests of France.
Captain Thura, of the INDFOEDSRETTEN, fell early in the action; and all
his officers, except one lieutenant and one marine officer, were either
killed or wounded In the confusion, the colours were either struck or
shot away; but she was moored athwart one of the batteries in such a
situation that the British made no attempt to board her; and a boat was
despatched to the prince, to inform him of her situation. He turned to
those about him, and said, "Gentlemen, Thura is killed; which of you
will take the command?" Schroedersee, a captain who had lately resigned
on account of extreme ill-health, answered in a feeble voice, "I will!"
and hastened on board. The crew, perceiving a new commander coming
alongside, hoisted their colours again, and fired a broadside.
Schroedersee, when he came on deck, found himself surrounded by the dead
and wounded, and called to those in the boat to get quickly on board: a
ball struck him at that moment. A lieutenant, who had accompanied him,
then took the command, and continued to fight the ship. A youth of
seventeen, by name Villemoes, particularly distinguished himself on
this memorable day. He had volunteered to take the command of a floating
battery, which was a raft, consisting merely of a number of beams nailed
together, with a flooring to support the guns: it was square, with a
breast-work full of port-holes, and without masts--carrying twenty-four
guns, and one hundred and twenty men. With this he got under the stern
of the ELEPHANT, below the reach of the stern-chasers; and under a heavy
fire of small-arms from the marines, fought his raft, till the truce
was announced, with such skill as well as courage, as to excite Nelson's
warmest admiration.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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