The Sun.
London, England, 1864-04-27 00:00:00

THE WAR IN DENMARK.

(From the Times Special Correspondent at the Danish
Head-quarters.)

HoRUP-HAY, April 22.
This is the last letter dated " Danish Head-
quarters" that will reach you from any spot in the
Isle of Alsen. The officers of the Staff are to
follow General Gerlach to the Island of Funen to-
day or to-morrow. Only one division is to be left
behind for the defence of Als, under the orders of
General Steinman. The Danes have hero no more
than 24 pieces of field artillery left, besides such
cannon as is still standing on the shattered bat•
teries along the Sound. The Church Battery at
Sondcrbcrg is almost untouched; not so the one
near the south windmill, nor any of those on
the right of the town, at Suricelcke, Baadsager,
Ronhave, 8:3. New works have, however, been
hrstily constructed both in the tow❑ of Soaderborg
and on the sea-shore to the north of it, where sunk
batteries have been substituted instead of those
flimsy bastions above the level of the ground,
among which the Prussian cannonade has made
such tremendous havoc. With such means of de-
fence the Danes cannot flatter themselves to hold
Alsen for days or even for hours against any earnest
assailant. There is not one officer of any rink
who flatters himself in the least about it ; but they

have orders "to hold their ground as they best
can," and are ready to immolate themselves without
murmur. The very bridges before Sonderborg
have been but imperfectly blown up. Long lines
of pontoons still project, like piers, from the banks
cn either side. It is impossible to doubt that the
Prussians have it in their power to sweep the
eastern shore from their vantage ground of B roager-
land, from Dybboll bill, from the fete-de pone, and
from Ragebol, for one or two miles inland, when
the patching up of those broken bridges, and the
crossing over in large, irresistible masses, will be
the affair of a moment. I make no mystery of this,
because it must be as obvious to the Germans as it
is to the Danes themselves. '

On the other hand, th© Prussians go to work with

their wonted circumspection and tardiness. They
are making assurance doubly sure. We see them
from our watch-towers crowding the opposite shore,
dawn to the very water edge,making themselves at
home in the tents and barraoks the Danes left be-
hind them, removing the cannon from the Dybbol
bastions, rearing new batteries half way between
the crest and the lowest slopes of the hill, advanc-

ing their r& doubted cannon within an easy atone-
throw of the Alsen coast. As yet, however, they
have hardly fired a shot. It was given out yester-
day that " there was to be an armistice from 4 to 8

in the afternoon," but before and after that period
of time the suspension of hostilities waa just as
absolute and complete. If the Prussians aro at all
inclined to act, they take a good deal of time to
prepare about it. They are leisurely and delibe-
rately sharpening the knife 'which is to cut their
victim's throat, and this latter awaits its doom calm
and resigned, well aware that no exertion on its
part can either ward off or deprecate it. Truly the
sacrifice of Denmark is a melancholy spectacle for a
neutral to witness.
The war that id momentarily languishing here
seems to be about to be removed to a distant
quarter. 10,000 Prussians, we are assured, have been
marched to the north, and serious apprehensions
are entertained of a second bombardment of Frede-
ricia. It is, perhaps, for this reason that the Danish
head-quarters are being removed to some place, as
yet unnamed, in the island of Feuer', where they
may be equally at hand to watch the progress of
operations at the entrance of the Little Belt and
on the Alssund. I may soon have to follow them
there, but, for the present, I am anxious to guess
what the designs and intentions of the Prussians
really are; and, in the event of their trying to
force their way across the water here, I wish to see
the last downfall of Alsen—it' fall it must.

The body of General Du Plat, together with those
of several other cfficers, was conveyed across the
strait yesterday, in a sc con d hatch, by the Prussians.
Gcneral Du Plat has been the real hero of the Dyb-

bol day. He was at the rear of his retreating columns,
and, taking the lead of a few of his men, was show-
ing a bold front to the enemy, when he was struck
by several rifle balls, and borne to the ground. His
followers were instantly at his side, and endeavoured
to lift him up ; but he declined all assistance, saying
he was a dead man, and begging his friends to hold
out as long as it was possible egainst the over-
whelming Germans. His wishes were obeyed, and
he sank back, to all appearance lifeless; bat he
lifted himself up again by a last effort, and his voice
was still heard repeating, " Hold out, my friends !
Hold out for God and Denmark !" It was at this
moment that Major Rosen, informed of the Gene.
ral's fall, came up ; but he had hardly reached the
spot when he was stretched by the side of his dear
friend, mortally wounded.
General Da Plat's corpse wore two laurel wreaths
round:its head when it came into his friends hands,
finj these, the Prussian officer who came across with
it informed us, were laid on the brow of the dead
hero by no 10b.,c illustrious bands than those of Prince
Frederick Charles :mei. Marshal Wran gel,who wished
to show before the ey of their whole army in what
estimation they held en e. 7 emy's valour. Pity the
General's gallantry did not en,;.itlo him to have his
boots restored to him; but the Puma" are evi-
dently mad after Danish shoe-leatht.:', and the
bodies of all, without exception, who fe:.l on the
Dybbol heights were brought bask to na in their
souks.