The Express.
London, England, 1864-03-03 00:00:00

Viiamped, id. Additioos/j

were evidently driven on by their corn-
nitrides& This is interesting, as showing
that raw troops must have been opposed to
the Danes in the recent encounter, for
such signs of backwardness would certainly not be
exhibited by the veterans of Austria and Prussia.
As I write, a column is passing my window with
the most jovial of popular songs. The brush with
their invaders has sent these quiet, steady, sad-
visaged North men into a state of unwonted cheer-
fulness. But affairs like to-day's are very wearing
fur the small army of General Liitticban. He
cannot afford to exchange man for man with a force
such as the allies possess.

Whether the battle will be resumed to-morrow is
a question that no one here can answer. We must
wait the pleasure of the enemy for another strugle.

FIB. 23.

So thick a fog hung over the whole neighbour-
hood this morning as to cause great uneasiness
about • probable attack upon the redoubts of
Dybbiil, or, still worse, upon some point along the
Sound. A few cannon shots were heard near
' Ronham, from a gunboat sent to disturb the allies
in their occupation of a wood opposite that place.
On the Dybbol Lill all remained perfectly quiet,
although every preparation was made to give the
enemy a warm reception should he venture an
advance. Walking forward beyond the Danish
lines it was difficult to see anything fifty
yards in front through the driving mist.
Each sentry looked three times his natural
size, and the fatigue parties at work in removing
hedges loomed gigantically tall. Occasionally,
softened by distance, came a bugle call, or we
started with eager attention as our ears seemed to
catch the roll of drums, for these last could belong
only to German regiments. The pickets were
lying snugly upon heaps of straw, with a supply
of black bread close at hand, in one of the never-
to-be-forgotten native waggons, drawn by a pair of
rough serviceable little horses, but possessing no
quality to recommend them ; it is wonderful how
such vehicles ever came into fashion. They
are having plenty of employment just now,
and being the only vehicles obtainable here for
love or money, there is a constant demand for them
both by government and private persona.
The increasing gloom brought our expedition up
country to an end, as it would have been mere rash-
neea to push on any further when friends were not
distinguishable from foes. In returning home I
noticed bow much progress the Danes had made in
their defences since my first visit. Of the forts it
will not do to speak, but banks have been dug
away, hedges cut down, and even the toll-gate near
DybbOl windmill has been demolished, lest the
enemy should find shelter behind its keeper's house.
A score of young soldiers were busily engaged in
removing this latter building. They hacked with
might and main at a piece of wall between two
windows, until down it came, bringing the whole
aide of the house with it This was re-
ceived as a rich treat by all present;
and nothing, I am persuaded, could have
stopped them from destroying any other resi-
dence that stood within reach. Certainly these
people are our very selves in character, with the
same grave disposition breaking out, when once
rowed, into broad fun or stern resolution, as the
case may require. For manners, however, it must
be owned that we are, nationally speaking, very far
from the equals of the Dane& Go where you will,
• constant politeness is found in Denmark. The
commonest rustic can answer a stranger without
appearing to notice his broken speech, and, what is
more remarkable, a group of soldiers will treat the
English visitor quite civilly before asking that all
important question, " Are you a German 1" Of
course any person not speaking good Danish is set
down as being of the hostile race, and one
must always bring in the sentence, Jeg er
Engel k, if wishing to receive more than cold
politeness. Once known to be English, the
traveller is welcomed as a friend, and some hope is
probably expressed of British assistance in the
summer. To this it is hard to reply that England
will do nothing, the Danes being convinced of our
hearty sympathy, and fully expecting material help
before long.
SONDERBORG, FRB. 24.

No fighting yesterday brought the soldiers to
their ordinary mood of heaviness. The songs and
laughter of Monday night were heard no longer, for
this army is only reasonably cheerful when it has a
prospect of burning powder. This morning a strong
force was in position at Dybbid, for again we had
rumours of an attack. It is the natural disadvan-
tage attending a small entrenched camp, that any
day the final struggle may oome without a moment's
warning. We are practically besieged here by an
unknown number of Germans, • line of defence,
such as the peninsula between Abound and lien-
ningbund can afford, telling both ways, so far
as safety is concerned. True it is that
a few thousand men could not make head against
an immense body of invaders without the aid of
earth-works, nor on any but a narrow front. Yet
the Danes have many dangers to encounter, re-
sulting from their cramped position. For instance,
there is no possibility of acting upon the flank or
rear of the Prussians ; of making them display
their force, or last, but certainly not least to be
considered; of escaping in case of defeat. Every
Danish officer with whom I have spoken is sanguine
of success, should we be assaulted by the enemy,
however numerous. " Let them only try
it," is the phrase of all ranks in Sim-
derborg. Sentries who stand shivering under
cover of leafless thickets, ask to be allowed
a glance through " the gentleman's telescope,"
that they may see the German outposts ; a long
earnest gaze is sure to be followed by the same
fierce exclamation—" AL, if those fellows will but
come." Ladies in this patriotic little town are
ashamed to speak the language of their courtry's
destroyers, although all of them know it perfectly.
The Sleswig troops are quite as bitter against
Prusaia as the Danish ; less anxious for fighting,
very likely, but loyal, I am assured, to their King.
So much cut off from the world as we are in Alsen,
it would be waste of time to speak upon political
news of a fortnight old. Events may Lave deprived
even the descriptions above attempted, as to public
feeling here, of their interest, before my letter can
reach
London. But to-day's mail from Copen-
hagen confirms the prediction which I ventured
last week as to the spirit of determined resistance
on the part of Denmark—a spirit that must drive
its government forward, unless they would see
• revolution in the capital. Who shall say
that the Danes are not right? It is
proverbial that people will generally help
those who help themselves, and something may yet
occur to give a chance of honourable peace to this
distracted nation. If the Hamburg journals can

[TWOPENCE

be trusted, we shall bear of Marshal Wrangel on
Friday next in earnest His battering train is said
to have arrived at Gravenstein, and if so the Ger-
mans may really open fire upon General Latichan's
position by that day. The capture of a place
where they once got soundly thrashed would be so
pleasing to Prussian military pride, that, unless
prevented by the other powers, they will certainly
try to take Dybbol at any cost.