Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-02-18
CARNAGE AT COPENHAGEN.
The Desolation Wrought Upon a Sim
Gle British Ship.

Capt. Alfred I. Mahan. who recently
retired from active service in the
United States navy in order TO devote
his entire attention 10 literary pursuits.
contributes - the February Century
an article on Nelson i'll the Battle of
Copenhagen" Capt. Mahan says that
the Danes fought not only with great
resolution, but with al effectiveness
that is really remarkable in view OF
the rawness of the material hastily
worked up for the occasion. He adds.
"A singular picture Of the DISSOLUTION
wrought on the decks OF the Monarch
has been given by midshipman on
board of her: Towards the close Of
the action the colonel commanding he
detachment of soldiers on board told
me that the quarterback guns wanIed
quill OF tin tubes (Which are used as
more safe and expeditions than loose
printing!, and wanted NE to send some
one, adding his Cwn mer were too ig-
n0rant of the ship, or he would have
sent one of them l told him l knew
myself. He, how ever, objected to my
going: and, as | was aware of the
dreadful slaughter which had taken
place in the center OF the ship, | was
not very fond of the jaunt; but my
conscience would not let me send an
other on an GRAND | was afraid to
undertake myself, and away I posted
1
arrived on the main deck, along which
| had to pass, there was not a single
man standing the whole way from the
mainmast forward, a district contain
ing eight guns on a side, some of which
were run out ready for firing. others
lay dismounted, and others remained
as they were after recoiling.
Il FASTENED down the fore ladder to
the lower deck, and felt really relieved
to find somebody alive. | was obliged
to wait 4 few minutes for my cargo,
and after this PAUSE own | felt some
thing like reglat, if not fear as | re-
mounted the ladder Oh my return.
This, however, entirely subsidized when
| saw the sun shining and the old blue
ensign flying IS softly as ever. [
never felt the genuine sense of glory
so completely as at this moment. |
took off my hat by an involuntary
motion, and gave three cheers as [
jumped onto the Quarterback Col.
Hutchinson WelGCm me at my quar-
tiers as if l had been ON a hazardous
enterprise and had returned in
triumph. The first lieutenant also ex-
pressed great saGsfuaIcn at seeing me
such high spirits I1d 50 active"
The effecr IF sp!iniera-fr2gment of
wood, whether large or small, being
technically 20 called-is shown by the
same writer in few scattered but
graphic sentences: Our signal mid
snipman was bruised from head to foot
with splinterS in such manner as
compelled him to leave the deck Mr..
| Ncsconte, another midShipmau, Who
w9s my companion on quarterback,
and who was as C0cl AID apparently
uncOnccrned as usual, shared the same
fate. [ attended him to the lower deck,
but could nos prevail upon myself 10
set foot en- the laCder to the cockpit"
Che cockpit is the place below the
water line where the wounded are
taken.
Il left him there to make the best
Of his way. AS the spIinters were so
plentiful it may b. wondered how [
escaped; the fact is, | did not escape
entirely. When the wheel was shot
away l was in a cloud, but being some
distance before the wheel, | did not
receive any of the larger pieces
Our first lieutenant, Mr. Yelland, had
taken care 20 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 square" a touch which re-
calls CollinWood's eccentric captain,
ROTTERDAM, at Trafalgar, who, upon be-
ing demonstrated with for the exposure
tull dress entailed replied, 81 have
always fought in a cooked hat. and I
always will'O, "his shirt friH stiff
starched, and his cravat tied tight up
der his chin, as usual. How he escaped
unhurt seems wonderful. Several
times | lost sight of him in a cloud Of
splinters; as they suhsided I saw first
his cooked hat emerging, then by de-
grees the rest of his person, his face
smiling, SO that altogether one might
imagine him dressed for his wedding
day"