The Battle of Copenhagen (Slaget på Reden)

[herakles]

Seeing as today 2 April is the anniversary of this great battle, I thought I would put a few aspects down. I have no intention of describing the battle.

It took place on 2 April 1801. There is another battle of the same name in 1807. (well covered in Bernard Cornwell's "Sharpe's Prey")

This was the battle where Nelson disregarded his commander's order (Admiral Parker) to retire by placing a telescope to his blind eye.

Parker was recalled and ordered to hand his command to Nelson. He had recently married an 18 year old (he was 61) and was not keen to leave port until specifically ordered to by the First Lord. At the time, Nelson was under a cloud because of his relationship with the Hamiltons.

Nelson was made Viscount after the action.

The battle whilst a glorious victory achieved little, especially as the Danes had held back many of their largest ships.

The Danes have always regarded the British behaviour and gallantry of the highest order and Nelson as a "true gentleman and a noble warrior."

Nelson's squadron

Polyphemus 64 (Captain John Lawford)
Isis 50 (Captain James Walker)
Edgar 74 (Captain George Murray)
Ardent 64 (Captain Thomas Bertie)
Glatton 54/56 (Captain William Bligh)
Elephant 74 (flag of Vice-Adm. Lord Nelson, Captain Thomas Foley)
Ganges 74 (Captain Thomas Francis Fremantle)
Monarch 74 (Captain James Robert Mosse)
Defiance 74 (2nd flag of Rear-Adm. Thomas Graves, Captain Richard Retalick)
Russell 74 (Captain William Cuming)
Bellona 74 (Captain Thomas Boulden Thompson)
Agamemnon 64 (Captain Robert Devereux Fancourt)
Désirée 36 (Captain Henry Inman)
Amazon 32/38 (Captain Henry Riou)
Blanche 36 (Captain Graham Eden Hamond)
Alcmène 32 (Captain Samuel Sutton)
Jamaica 24 (Captain Jonas Rose)
Arrow (ship-sloop, Captain William Bolton)
Dart (ship-sloop, Captain John Ferris Devonshire)
Cruizer (brig-sloop, Cmdr. James Brisbane)
Harpy (brig-sloop, Cmdr. William Birchall)
Discovery (bomb, Cmdr. John Conn)
Explosion (bomb, Cmdr. John Henry Martin)
Hecla (bomb, Cmdr. Richard Hatherhill)
Sulphur (bomb, Cmdr. Hender Whitter)
Terror (bomb, Cmdr. Samuel Campbell Rowley)
Volcano (bomb, Cmdr. James Watson)
Zebra (bomb, Cmdr. Edward Sneyd Clay)
Otter (fireship, Cmdr. George M'Kinley)
Zephyr (fireship, Cmdr. Clotworthy Upton)

Parker's reserve

London 98 (flag of Admiral Sir Hyde Parker, with 1st Captain William Domett and 2nd Captain Robert Walker Otway)
St George 98 (Captain Thomas Masterman Hardy)
Warrior 74 Captain Charles Tyler)
Defence 74 (Captain Henry Paulet)
Saturn 74 (Captain Robert Lambert)
Ramillies 74 (Captain James William Taylor Dixon)
Raisonnable 64 (Captain John Dilkes)
Veteran 64 (Captain Archibald Collingwood Dickson)

HMS Elephant

Was a 74 gun third rate ship. She was Nelson's flagship. He chose her because of her ability to negotiate shallow water. She was broken up in 1830.

Class and type: Arrogant class ship of the line
Tons burthen: 1604 tons (1629.7 tonnes)
Length: 168 ft (51.2 m) (gundeck)
Beam: 46 ft 9 in (14.2 m)
Depth of hold: 19 ft 9 in (6 m)
Propulsion: Sails
Sail plan: Full rigged ship
Armament: 74 guns:

* Gundeck: 28 × 32 pdrs
* Upper gundeck: 28 × 18 pdrs
* Quarterdeck: 14 × 9 pdrs
* Forecastle: 4 × 9 pdrs

Captain William Bligh on board HMS Glatton, undoubtedly saved the Elephant from destruction. He detected a Dutch frigate moving to attack Elephant so he ordered Glatton into the direct lne of fire. Glatton was severely damaged but remained afloat. There were 51 casualties (17 killed and 31 wounded). Bligh later received the personal thanks of Nelson for his conduct during the engagement.

Incidentally, Glatton was the first and only RN ship to be fitted exclusively with carronades - twenty-eight 42-pounder carronades on her upper-deck and twenty-eight 64-pounder carronades on her lower-deck.

Attachments:

drawing of HMS Elephant (Maritime Museum)

modern day model

[Odin]

Very interesting thread. I've always been surprised that there were no awards of the Large (to Admirals) and Small (to Captains) Naval Gold Medals for this action, especially as other lesser actions were marked by this award.

The Large Gold medals were awarded for 1st June 1794, St Vincent, Camperdown, Nile, Trafalgar, and St Domingo but not Copenhagen (total 22 Large Medals). Nelson recieved three, albeit the last was posthumous (see underlined above). Perhaps this battle was omitted because Nelson disobeyed Parker's order to break off the action. However as you say Nelson was made a Viscount for Copenhagen

Update - apparently the Government refused to sanction the award in case it upset the Danes.

[herakles]

I'm surprised too!

Trafalgar, The Nile, Copenhagen - three of the truly great naval battles not only because of the tactics used but because of their political importance.

[Odin]

Here's a potrait of Nelson wearing his two Large Naval Gold Medals. He doesn't look over happy, no doubt thinking 'I should have three of these by now'

The wording on Nelson's St. Vincent medal read "HORATIO NELSON ESQUIRE, COMMODORE AND FIFTH IN COMMAND ON THE 14TH FEB, 1797 - THE SPANISH FLEET DEFEATED.

The wording on Nelson's Nile medal read "SIR HORATIO NELSON. K.B. REAR-ADMIRAL AND COMMANDING OFFICER ON 1st AUGUST 1798 - THE FRENCH FLEET DEFEATED.

The wording on Nelson's Trafalgar medal read "HORATIO VISCOUNT NELSON VICE-ADMIRAL AND COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF ON THE 21 OCTOBER MDCCCV. THE COMBINED FLEETS OF FRANCE AND SPAIN DEFEATED.

The three medals were stolen, along with others from the Painted Hall of Greenwich Hospital in December 1900. They were never recovered.

[herakles]

Here's a potrait of Nelson wearing his two Large Naval Gold Medals. He doesn't look over happy ... ...

I've never seen a portrait painting of great men in which they do look happy! Perhaps they think they should look serious.

Ever seen a portrait of the Queen with a smile?

[bob shayler]

Regarding the lack of Gold Medal’s for the Battle of Copenhagen, this was a matter aggressively pursued by Nelson.
The whole situation was still politically sensitive, long after Nelsons death and none of his robust views could be published at the time.
He did however, vigorously lobby for the award of these medals to his ‘brave Captains’, culminating in a letter to Lord Melville on the 10th October 1804.

This is from the book, ‘Nelson, The New Letters, edited by Colin White.’

My dear Lord,
I have done my duty to My Brave Brethren who were at Copenhagen, Your Lordship has answered me like Yourself, I shall never trouble you more upon that Subject, but My Opinion is precisely as it was upon the cruelty of withholding them and the value of future ones must be done away with when it becomes known they are given to favour and Interest and not for the most Important Services. Three Medals was too much for One Admiral to Wear that is the only reason there was the secret cause for withholding them. No public reason was ever attempted to be given.

I am Ever Dear Lord Your Obliged and faithful
Nelson & Bronte

This is word verbatim from the book I have quoted as the source, I hope this is in order.

My observations on the letter are, as it was the culmination of much protestation by Nelson, the impromptu use of capital letters emphasize his frustrations with Melville and the Governmental decision 'NOT' to award them.

The victory at Copenhagen also gave Nelson the opportunity to display his talents for diplomacy. With the assassination of Csar Paul of Russia removing the fear of Russian reprisals against Denmark, this opened the way for them to withdraw honourably from an unpopular confrontation with Britain. Nelson was held in high esteem by them for the way in which he, the victor treated the vanquished.
The way was now open to move up the Baltic to make a show of strength against the Russians, the main architects of the Armed Alliance. It was at this point that Nelson replaced his Commander in Chief, Admiral Sir Hyde Parker as Commander-in-Chief in the Baltic.
This expedition was of course ultimately successful and enhanced Nelsons career greatly, but he only commanded the Baltic Fleet for two months due to ill health. He had however, heightened his profile by coming into regular contact with the leading politicians of the day including the Prime Minister, Henry Addington.

Postscript:
If the lack of Gold Medals at Copenhagen did nothing for those who deserved them, the aftermath at least elevated the right man into the right position to deal with future events!!!
Regards,
Bob Shayler

[herakles]

Most interesting.

Nelson's negotiations with the Danes was another highlight. The Danes regarded him as most honourable.

[qprdave]

Contemporary reports of the Battle of Copenhagen.

Published in the London Times on 20th April 20 1801

[jainso31]

A further account with water colour pictures which I thnk are rather tasteful:cool:

jainso31


http://www.britishbattles.com/waterloo/battle-copenhagen.htm

[qprdave]

Dispatches sent by Admiral Sir Hyde Parker

Published in the London Times on 16th April 1801

Dave