Battle of Copenhagen (1801)
From Freepedia
| First Battle of Copenhagen | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Image:PocockBattleOfCopenhagen.jpg The Battle of Copenhagen, as painted by Nicholas Pocock. British vessels are in the foreground and the city of Copenhagen in the background. | |||
| Conflict: French Revolutionary Wars | |||
| Date: 2 April 1801 | |||
| Place: Copenhagen roads | |||
| Outcome: British strategic victory | |||
| Combatants | |||
| United Kingdom | Denmark-Norway, | ||
| Commanders | |||
| Sir Hyde Parker Lord Nelson | Olfert Fischer Steen Bille | ||
| Strength | |||
| Nelson: 12 ships of the line, 5 frigates, 7 bombs, 6 others
Parker (reserve): 8 ships of the line | Fischer: 7 ships of the line, 10 others Bille: 17 ships, 1 land battery | ||
| Casualties | |||
| 264 killed; 689 wounded (reported) | 1600-1800 killed and wounded (reported) | ||
| |||
The naval Battle of Copenhagen (Danish: Slaget på Reden) was fought on April 2, 1801 by a British fleet under the command of Admiral Sir Hyde Parker, against a Danish-Norwegian fleet anchored just off Copenhagen. The main attack was led by Admiral Horatio Nelson, who famously disobeyed Parker's order to withdraw and destroyed many of the Danish-Norwegian ships before Denmark-Norway agreed to a truce.
Contents |
Background
The battle was due to multiple failures of diplomacy in the latter half of 1800 and the beginning of 1801; an Armed Neutrality of the Scandinavian countries, Prussia, and Russia, in combination with Napoleon's domination of the European continent, was perceived by Great Britain to be a serious threat to her existence, especially due to Britain's reliance on naval supplies from Sweden and other Baltic countries. However, the Kingdom of Denmark-Norway was more afraid of Russia and France.
In early 1801, the British government assembled a fleet at Great Yarmouth, with the goal of intimidating Denmark-Norway into withdrawing from the Armed Neutrality before the Baltic Sea thawed and released the Russian fleet from its bases at Kronstadt and Reval (now Tallinn). The fleet sailed on 11 March and reached the Skaw (Danish: Skagen) on 17 March.
The Danish-Norwegians had prepared for the attack and positioned an unbroken line of defensive blocking ships along the Copenhagen roads (anchorage) off the western coast of the island Amager and at the entrance to Copenhagen harbour. As it was early in the year, only few Danish-Norwegian warships were equipped and fitted for sea, and most of them had to be pulled out of Copenhagen harbour. The planned naval support from Karlskrona in Sweden, never showed up because of adverse winds. Additionally, Russian naval support was not possible as the Gulf of Finland was still frozen. The Prussians had only minimal naval forces and could not be expected to assist. The situation became a confrontation solely between Britain and Denmark-Norway.
The battle
A disagreement between Parker and Nelson saw Nelson's proposal for a pre-emptive show of force overruled and the demands made by a single frigate. The Danish-Norwegians refused to negotiate.
The Copenhagen roads were both treacherous and well-defended. Using the twelve ships of the line with the shallowest draft, Nelson picked his way through the shoals and commenced action the morning after negotiations had broken down. However, four of these ships (Elephant, Defiance, Russel and Bellona) ran aground. Supporting the British line were smaller British bomb vessels, which were positioned where they could bombard the city without fear of retaliation.
For over four hours, the battle was a close run affair. The remaining ships were anchored by the stern about 200 yards from the line of Danish ships and batteries. The bombardment from both sides was very heavy.
At one point three hours into the battle, Parker signalled to Nelson to disengage, but Nelson was determined to win and ignored the signal. It was on this occasion that Nelson is said to have put his telescope to his blind eye, and maintained he could not read the signal. Defenders of Parker have argued that the signal was not an order but permission so that Nelson could withdraw without facing reprisal if he felt that the defensive fire was overwhelming.
At the same time, Nelson sent couriers on a boat carrying a flag of truce to the Danish-Norwegian regent, Crown Prince Frederik, who was watching the battle from the ramparts of the Citadel. These couriers delivered a note, in which Nelson threatened to set fire to all the floating batteries he had captured, "without having the honour of saving the brave Danes who have defended them". This was after a number of the Danish ships had ceased firing because of British fire.
Nelson explained later that the letter was written out of compassion, but Danish historians say that it was rather a clever bluff — some would say a potential war crime — on the part of Nelson in a desperate attempt to stop the battle. They also claim that Nelson had in fact not captured a single Danish-Norwegian ship when the letter was sent. Furthermore, they argue that Nelson could see the advantage to disengage when three of the British battleships, having lost their moorings and steering, were about to drift within range of the batteries of the Trekroner sea fortress. Without consulting either of the Danish-Norwegian commanders, Olfert Fischer or Steen Bille, Crown Prince Frederik called on a ceasefire.
Since the Danish-Norwegian ships had been hastily manned by volunteers, many of whom had little or no naval experience, it is not clear what the exact Danish-Norwegian casualties figures were. Casualty estimates from various history books vary between 1135 to 2215 killed and wounded. The official report by Olfert Fischer estimated the Danish-Norwegian casualties to be between 1600 and 1800 killed and wounded. According to the despatches from Nelson and forwarded by Parker to the Admiralty, British casualties were 264 killed and 689 wounded. Danish historians maintain that Nelson reported 1200 killed and wounded, while Parker reported 2237 killed and wounded.
Aftermath
After the cease-fire, formal negotiations for peace ensued. These talks lasted for more than a week focusing on the British demand that Denmark-Norway leave the League of Armed Neutrality. The negotiations were difficult and at times almost resulted in the resumption of hostilities. When it was eventually learned that the Russian Emperor Paul, who was the driving force behind the League of Armed Neutrality, had died just before the battle, the British demands suddenly became irrelevant and a 14-week armistice was signed on April 9, 1801, as a beginning of peace between the two parties. The final peace agreement was then signed on October 23, 1801.
While the British consider the battle to be both a military and political victory, Danish historians argue that it is not clear who won this battle. Politically, the British achieved what they wanted: namely, that Denmark-Norway leave the League of Armed Neutrality. However, the death of the Russian Emperor Paul meant that the league had already been dissolved. Furthermore, Denmark-Norway managed to preserve its neutrality, which Britain was forced to recognize. Militarily, the British managed to damage a considerable number of the Danish-Norwegian ships. The firing from the defenders was much stronger than the British anticipated and the battle was much harder fought. Denmark-Norway succeeded in defending Copenhagen and its navy, though Nelson's later threat during the post-battle negotiations to use his undamaged bomb vessels to attack the city demonstrates that this was not a complete success. It was Nelson's plan to annihilate Copenhagen's sea defenses so that he could bombard the city if necessary. However, according to his plan, he only engaged the Danish-Norwegian ships south of the Trekroner sea fortress, which was armed with 66 guns. The Danish-Norwegian ships north of the sea fortress did not see action at all. By the time of the ceasefire, Nelson's own ship was so damaged that it is doubtful he would have agreed to engage Trekroner and the northern line of Danish-Norwegian ships had hostilities resumed.
While Danish and British historians don't agree on who won the battle, both agree that Nelson achieved a political victory in the eyes of Britain. As a result of this action, Lord Nelson was created Viscount Nelson of the Nile.
This was not to be the end of Danish-Norwegian conflict with the British. In 1807 similar circumstances led to another British attack, in the Second Battle of Copenhagen.
Ships involved:
Britain
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, Captain Thomas Foley)
Ganges 74 (Captain Thomas Francis Fremantle)
Monarch 74 (Captain James Robert Mosse)
Defiance 74 (2nd flag of 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, Captain James Brisbane)
Harpy (brig-sloop, Captain William Birchall)
Discovery (bomb)
Explosion (bomb)
Hecla (bomb)
Sulphur (bomb)
Terror (bomb)
Volcano (bomb)
Zebra (bomb)
Otter (fireship)
Zephyr (fireship)
Parker's reserve
London 98 (flag, Captains William Domett and 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)
Raisonable 64 (Captain John Dilkes)
Veteran 64 (Captain Archibald Collingwood Dickson)
Denmark
Fischer's division (order north - south. Only Siælland and Holsteen were in good condition)
Prøvesteenen 52/56 (3-decker battleship)
Wagrien 48/52 (2-decker battleship)
Rendsborg 20 (pram)
Nyeborg 20 (pram)
Jylland 48/54 (2-decker battleship)
Sværdfisken 18/20 (radeau)
Kronborg 22 (frigate)
Hajen 18/20 (radeau)
Dannebrog 60 (flag, 2-decker battleship)
Elven 10
Grenier's float/Floating Battery No. 1 20
Aggershus 20 (cavalry transport)
Siælland 74 (2-decker battleship)
Charlotte Amalia 26 (East Indiaman)
Søehesten 18 (radeau)
Holsteen 60 (battleship)
Indfødsretten 64 (2-decker battleship)
Hielperen 16 (frigate)
Steen Bille's division
Elephanten 70
Mars 64
Sarpen
Nidelven
Danmark
Trekroner (fortress) 69
Iris
Nykøbing
Aalborg
Christiansund
Arendel
Langesund
Odense
Flensborg
Stege
Stavaern
Viborg
Naskau
References
- Dudley Pope, The Great Gamble: Nelson at Copenhagen (1972)
- Naval wars in the Baltic 1553-1850 - R. C. Anderson
- Lauring, Palle (1972). Billeder af Danmarks historie. Copenhagen: Palle Lauring og Lademann Forlagsaktieselskab.
- Nelson Society website which has transcriptions of the original British and Danish documents.
- Lindeberg, Lars (1974). De så det ske: Englandskrigene 1801-14. Copenhagen: Lademann Forlagsaktieselskab.
- Great Britain's unprovoked assault on the neutral Danish-Norwegian kingdom from the Danish Naval History website
- Timeline of the battle from British point of view
- Consulatets og Keiserdømmets Historie af A. Thiers. Forhenværende Premierminister, Deputeret og Medlem af det franske Academi. Efter det Franske ved J. C. Magnus. Andet Bind (1845). Copenhagen: Brødrene Berling.
- Denmark and Great Britain Exhibition from the Orlogsmuseet.
Categories: Battles of the French Revolutionary Wars | Naval battles | Copenhagen | 1801 | History of Denmark
