Battle of Copenhagen (1801)

The naval Battle of Copenhagen (in Danish: Slaget på Reden) was held the April 2nd 1801 between the British fleet ordered by the admiral Sir Hyde Parker, and the Danish-Norwegian fleet anchored in front of Copenhagen. The principal attack was led by the admiral Horatio Nelson, being unaware of the orders of Parker. Several of the Danish and Norwegian boats were destroyed whereas Denmark and Norway had accepted a truce.

Context

Great Britain was not normally present in the the Baltic, when in 1800, the tsar Paul 1 {{er}} ressuscite the Ligue of Armed Neutrality.

This one includes/understands, in addition to the Russia, the Sweden, the Denmark and the Prussia which are linked against the Great Britain because of its policy aiming at preventing the trade with France. The Tsar immobilized British vessels of trade in Russian ports; the British thought that an attack on Denmark would break the League.

Denmark is closer to Great Britain and thus easier to attack. It is decided that a fleet will take veil for the Baltic, under the command of the admiral Hyde Parker, with Nelson as second in command.

Préléminaires

Forwarding leaves Yarmouth the March 12th, having embarked the 49e Régiment, two companies of fusiliers and an artillery detachment under Colonel Stewart. Nicolas Vansittart was sent in advance of the fleet, to try to persuade the Danes to adopt a friendlier policy towards the United Kingdom (Great Britain became the United Kingdom at the beginning of 1801).

The fleet drops anchor with the approach of the Kattegat, waiting to see what the diplomacy will be able to carry out. The Danes would undoubtedly have heard reason if the British envoy had appeared with the British fleet. But the latter was out of sight. The approach to attack Copenhagen could be done in several ways. A council of war is held, at the end of which Nelson will say: “I F… by which passage we will go, provided that we fight with them. ”

The March 31st, at the time of the new Council of War, Nelson, holding has to conclude before the arrival from the Russians, proposes to attack the Danes with only ten ship of the lines. After some hesitation, Hyde accepts, but gives him two vessels of 50, as well as frigates, ketchs armed with guns, and ships blaster, on the whole twenty-four ships. Sir Hyde Parker keeps eight vessels in reserve, apparently to secure itself against a possible appearance of the Russians or the Swedes.

The port, the arsenal and the docks of Copenhagen are supplied in the city even of Copenhagen, whose entry is kept by the formidable Trekroner battery. There are other batteries along the shore towards the south and the Danish fleet was brought on the shallow waters in front of the city. They are two bridges, joined together by impromptu barges and other batteries.

As with the battles of Aboukir, Nelson must face an enemy fleet with the anchor, but this time it is in numerical inferiority. Moreover, the Danes will defend their position, will be reinforced by the shore, more and more of men coming to replace the casualties. However, the enemy fleet being with the anchor, that allows an assailing fleet to concentrate on part of the line of the enemy, leaving some of his vessels without adversary. Nelson decides to sail in front of Copenhagen and to attack then by the south, the weakest end of the Danish line. Its squadron is in position on April 1st. Irony of fate, the tsar Paul Ier, having been assassinated the March 25th, its successor Alexandre Ier adopts a different foreign politics, and the Alliance of North starts soon to disaggregate before the battle did not take place.

Battle

The April 2nd the British squadron launches out to the attack. It is immediately a disaster: the Bellona and the Russel are failed and the Agamemnon does not succeed in gaining its position. Nelson engages the remaining vessels in the battle against the Danish vessels and the floating batteries. After three hours of cannonade on each side, the outcome of the battle is always undecided. Indicator which the vessels which it sent in reinforcement progress slowly against the wind, Parker gives to the whole of the fleet the signal to cease the combat.

Each building is supposed to obey the signal without waiting until he is repeated Éléphant , the flagship de Nelson. But placed opposite their adversaries, to obey the signal had been a suicide: Impossible indeed to send the men to put at the veil, without the fire of the enemy not being keep silent. That would have implied terrible damage and damage, and would have made it possible Danish to assert a victory, opposite with the prestige of the British fleet in Northern Europe.

Pretending not to see the signal distinctinctement, Nelson maintains to it his, for more brought closer action, and all obey to him. It is then 12:30, and the cannonade continues during still approximately an hour. It is then clear that the British have the top, more and more Danish vessels ceases fire or goes. Towards 14:00, the bombardment decreases further by intensity and Nelson sends a white flag, suggesting the end of the engagements. It is the only means of saving the lives of many Danish on board floating batteries. To 15:15, the flagship de Nelson sends the order of fine cease-fire putting at the battle.

Consequences

There is no known report in the way in which Sir Hyde Parker accepted Nelson after the battle. It could have required to translate it into martial court to have disobeyed. Or then it was conscious that its own contribution had been negative and potentially disastrous. Ordering back, its authority had been weakened. However, the heavy losses undergone by the Danes, were sufficiently dissuasive for possible adversaries.

The negotiations took place in Copenhagen and the cease-fire was transformed into armistice. The news of died of the Tsar had been officially confirmed and it was said that the new tsar wished to return all the vessels British retained. Shortly after the orders arrived of the Council of Admiralty ordering at Parker to give its command to Nelson and to go back to the United Kingdom. It did not have of it any more an other.

Nelson, from now on commander-in-chief in the Baltic, was assured that the embargo on the trading vessels would be raised and that friendly relations would be taken again between Russia and the United Kingdom.

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