Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1852-12-03
An Episode of the Battle of the Baltic.

I An Episode Of the Battle of the Baltic.
Brave old Denmark was sincerely neutra
during the great French Revolution; but Eng
land, by very questionable act, seized two
Danish frigates--under search warrants
towed them to British ports. This arbitrary
insult appears to have induced both Denmark
and Sweden to Join the "Northcrn Armed Neu
traIity," which they did in the middle of De
cember 1900. Upon this, England embargoef
all Danish and Swedish ships in our forts, and
seized all, or nearly all, their colonies shortly
afterwards, Admiral Sir Hyde Parker, (com
mander-in-chef cf the heet,) Admiral Lore
Nelson, and Admiral Graves, SAILED for the
Baltic with some forty-seven ships -of-war.-
They passed without opposition through the
Sound, and the Swedish fleet of seven ships
of-the line and three frgates, could not, or did
not, leave Carlscrona: as to the Russian fleet
1t was frozen up; besides which, the demise o
the Emperor Paul caused vacillation in the
councils of Russia. The result was, that lit
tie Denmark was left unadcd to bear the brunt
of mighty England's vengeance.
Upon the Crown-Prince Of Denmark II after
wards Frederick W., one of the best sover-
eigns that ever swayed il northern sceptrc-
devolved the management of the nation af
fairs ; for he had been regent since 1854. in
/
Christian VII. The Crown-Prnce was brave
o.d enerEeti; man. and he made every posi-
bic preparation to defend Copenhag -blnsclf
assuming the very responsible post of commal-
der in chief. The land defcnces consisted of
the Cltadcet Fgedcrlkshavn the Crown Bate
| rles-and II they were as formidable in 1901,
as they were when we saw them in 1850, they
| indeed possessed tremendous powers of de-
struCton also batteries on the shore of the
island of Amak--A nnger, as the English call
it-whch is separated from Copenhagen by a
narrow arm of the sea, called kullcbostrand.- -
The Danish feet was moorc in the inner hnr-
Dor, which Is very strong position, as the en-
trance is defended 5v booms, and batteries are
along It's east or seaward side. On April J.
1901, the English fleet loorned ominously in
the horizon, and it became evident that tear-
tul combat was close at hand. The Crown
Prince issued his last orders to Admiral Fisher
he gallant commander of the Danish fleet, and
to the officers IN command Of the several bate
rleS, a terrible day and night was that for tho
Danes. They knew that with the morrow'S
sun, many OF their fathers, husbands and broth
crS n,pSt fall and in case victory should de-
clare on the side of the assaiant, they knew
not what horrors Of war might bcall their city.
Yet the Dancs-is brave aud noble Il people
IL
Thev bitterly felt the cruel nature of their po-
stlup, and with characteristic tortltude and un-
finchlng resolution. prepared to meet it. They
might BE- conquered, and their capital gwen to
the damcs-they know that but undauntedly
did they rely OH their native bravery, and the
justice of their cause for they believed they
were engaged in struggle of right against
might
At the hour Of o'clock on this momentous
evening Of the lst of April. a 'mess" of SAIL
ors on board Danish shlp-ot-tIIe-Iinc, the out
ermost of all in the harbor, had just received.
in common with their sh!pmates, an extra al
lowancc of brPnderiin-- white corn brandy,
somewhat like whlskey, They were filled with
feelings of high professional pride and cont-
dencc, and eagerly pledged one another, with
patriolic resolves, to conquer or die IN III" NOR
rows conflict Some tossed off their allow =
ancc with national toastS. One man among
them held his brGndepiin untasted, until al! the
others had swallow ed theirs. This man was
a sailor who had volunteered to serve IN the
rnan-o f-war only the previous day. | Ic was 4
nat We of Copenhagen, and hitherto had spu ID,
! his life in the merchant service; but he had
offered himself patrlotcally on this great clper-
gcncy, to fight in his countrys cause. There
was nothing remarkable or striking liz his APP
pcarancc; he was a sun-burnt, hardy looking
young man of bout iive-und- twenty, and slight
rather than muscular, in appearance. Like
MANY OF his countrvmcn, his hair was very llgh,
I faxcn, and his eyes bright blue. Ills name
was \ Anton l.undIt.
Come, mes 'mate.' said one Of the sailors
"what is your toast ~
Anton Lundlt stayed little, his lip quivercd
and his eyes grew lustrouS with hidden emo>
Il, h,
with farvor: "For Pigen og vWt Land ---iol
Rosine og gamle Denmark !" For the girls
and our country--tor Rose and old Denmark
and drained his brdnderiin to the last drop.
"Ah!' exclaimed his messmates. youl
sweetheart and your country-Eo toast cuA be
better than that Hurrah for Rosine and ole
! Denmark Anton Lundt dashed the cuff Of
his sleeve over his eyes, and turned aside with
glowing heart, and prayer on his lips.
On the eventtul morning of the 2d April
TO the battle fierce came forth
All the might OF DrnnaTks crown,
And her arms along the deep proudly sho1e.
by each gun lighted brand.
In n bold, determined hand,
And the prince oi all the land
led them OF.
Nelson was the chief ii command of the
English ships engaged on this evcnttul day, fo
Sir HYDE Parker could not possibly come NJ
with his portion of the fleet, wind and tide
were both dead against him. OF Nelson, then
and his ships, 1t Is Campbell sings
1t was ten OF April morn by the chime
As they drIitrd on their path
There was silence deep as death,
And The boldPst held ms breath
For time.
And well might the bolGest hold his breath
1t was no ordinary foe that British valor had L
contend with, but one Of the bravest and mos
skiltul, both by sea and land in the who'll
world. At length the dread signal few "alon!
the lofty British line" ana each gun
From its adamanne lips,
Spread death shade round the ships,
Lake the hurricane eclipse
OF the sun.
The appalling roar of thousand cannon ans
! wered on the Danes, and soon the very wint
: of heaven was stlllcd by the laundering rever
beratons of the artillery. We leave the his
torlan to describe mnutely the progress of th
fight, and turn to the ship Of Anton l4undt
We have already said that this ship was th
outernost in the harbor, and the comba