The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-02-15
CARNAGE AT COPENHAGEN.
The Desolation Wrought Upon . Sim
gle British Ship.

|
gle British Ship.
Capt. Alfred L. Mahan, who recently
resigned from the United States Navy in
order to devote his entire attention TO
literary pursuits, contributes to the Feb
ruary Century an article on "Nelson In
the Battle of Copen hagen" Capt. Mshan
says that the Danes fought not only with
great resolution. but with an effectiveness
thar Is really remsrksble In view OF the
rawness of the material hastily worked
up for the occasion. lie adds: A singu-
lar picture of the desolation wrought on
the decks Of the Monarch has been given
by a midsnipman on board of her:
"Toward the close of the action the
colonel commanding the detachment of
soldiers on board. told me that the quar-
ter-oeck guns wanted quill or tin tubes
(Which arc used as more safe and exped-
ditious than The loose priming.) and
wanted me to send some one, adding, his
own men were too ignorant of the ship,
or he would have sent one OF them.
told him l knew no one that could 60
we'll be spared as mysef. He, however,
objected to my going; aud as was aware
OF the dreadful slaughter which had
taken place IN the center OF the snip,l YVES
not very fond OF the jsunt; but my con-
science would not let me sen5 another on
an errand wss afraid to undertake my
self, and away posted towards the fore
magazine. When | arrived on the main
deck, along which i had to pass, there
was no a single man standing the whole
way from the mainmsst forward, a dis
trict containing eight guns on side,
some OF which were run out ready for
nrirg, Others lay disnounted, and Others
remained as they we'e after recoiling.
81 hastened down the fore ladder TO the
lower deck, and felt really relieved to lind
somebody alive. / was obliged to wait
few minutes for my cargo, and after this
pause own felt something like regret,
IL not fear, as ! remounted the ladder on
my return. This, however, entirely sub
sided when saw the sun shining and the
old blue ensign flying as lofty as ever.
i never felt the genuine sense OF glory so
completely as at that moment. ] took of
my hat by an involuntary motion, and
gave three cheers as 1 jumped on to the
quarterback. Col. Hutchinson welcomed
me at my quarters as II l had been on
hazardous enterprise and had ret urhed in
triumph; the fret lieutenant also cx-
pressed great satisfaction at seeing me In
such high 81 irts and 30 active"
Tue effect of splinters-fragmonts OF
wood, whether large or small. being tech
nically so called-is shown by the same
writer in q few scattered but graphic
sentences: sour signal midshipman was
bruised from hersi to foot with splinters
in such q manner as compelled him to
leave the decx. Mr.. lie Vesconte,
another midshipmsn, who was my COM
panion on the quarterback, and who
was rs cool and apparently unconcerned
90 usual, shared the same fate. 1 attended
him To the lower deck, tut could not
prevail upon myself to ser foot on the
ladder to the COCKPIT" The cockpit Is
the pla CO below the wsterlins where the
wounded are taken.
81 left him there to make the best of
his way. As the spiinters were so pienti-
ful, it may be wondered how / escaped;
Wnen the wheel was shot away was in
a cloud, but being some little distance
before the wheel, did not receive any of
the larger pieces. Our first lieutenant,
Mr.. YelIand, had taken care to have the
decks swept, and everything clean and
nice, before we went into action. He
had dressed himself in full uniform, with
his cooked hat set on squarely" "a touch
which recalls Co lin woods eccentric cap
tain Rothesam, at Trafalgar, who, upon
being demonstrated with for the exposure
full Dress entailed, replied, 81 have al
ways fought in cooked nat, and / al
why's will', his shirt-frill stiff starched,
and his cravat tied tight under bis chin,
as usual. How he escaped unhurt seems
wonderful. Several times lost sight of
him in a cloud of splinters; as they sub
sided saw first his cooked hat emerging,
then by degrees the rest OF his person. his
face smiling, 80 that altogether on
might imagine him dressed for his we'd
ding day."