The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-02-23
CARNAGE AT COPENHAGEN
THE DESoLATIoN WROUGHT
UPON A SINGLE BRITISH SHIP.
Not Single Person Left Alive Upon
a Long Stretch of Deck-The
Vivid Description of the Scene
by a British Midshipman.

Captain Alfred T. Mahan, who recent
ly resigned from the United States navy
in order to devote his entire attention
to literary pursuits, contributes to the
February Century an article on Mel
son in the Battle of Copenhagen"
Captain Mahan says that the Danes
fought not only with great resolution,
but with an effectiveness that is really
remarkable in view of the rawness of
the material hastily worked up for the
occasion. He adds: A singular pic
ture of the desolation wrought on the
decks of the Monarch has been given
by a midshipman on board of her:
Toward the close of the action the
colonel commanding the detachment of
soldiers on board told me that the
quarterback guns granted quill or tin
tubes (Which are used as more safe and
expeditions than 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 1 knew no one that
could so well be spared as myself. He,
however, objected to my going; and as
1 was aware of the dreadful slaughter
which had taken place in the center
of the ship, l was not very fond of the
jaunt; but my conscience would not let
afraid to undertake myself, and away
1 posted towards the fore magazine.
When L arrived on the main deck,
along which 1 had to pass, there was
not single man standing the whole
way from the mainmast forward, a
district containing eight guns on
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 a few minutes for my cargo,
and after this pause l own l felt some
thing like regret, if not fear, as 1 re-
mounted the ladder ON my return.
This, however, entirely subsidized when
saw the sun shining and the old blue
ensign flying as lofty as ever. l never
felt the genuine sense of glory so COM
pletely as at that moment l took off
my hat by an involuntary motion, and
gave three cheers as l jumped on the
quarterback. Colonel Hutchinson well
coined me at my quarters as If l had
been on a hazardous enterprise and had
returned in triumph; the first lieuten-
ant also expressed great satisfaction
at seeing me in such high spirits and so
active"
The effect of splinters-frag ments of
wood whether large or small, being
technically so called-is shown by the
same writer in a few scattered but /
graphic sentences: Our signal mid !
shipman was bruised from head to /
foot with splinters in such a manner /
as compelled him to leave the deck /
Mr.. LIE Vesconte. another midshipman,
who was my companion on the quarter /
deck, and who was as cool and ap-
unconcerned as usual, shared |
> l. Co. IL
lower deck. but could not prevail upon
myself to set foot on the ladder to the
cockpit" (The cockpit is the place
below the waterline where the wounded
are taken.)
II left him there TO make the best
Of his way. AS the splinters were so
plentiful, it may be wondered how 1
the fact is, l did not escape
When the wheel was shot
away l was in a cloud. but being some
little distance before the wheel, 1 did
not receive any of the larger pieces.
Our first lieutenant, Mr. Vel
and 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
mis- cooked hat set on square" Ga touch
which recalls COllinwood's eccentric
captain, ROTTERDAM, at Trafalgar who,
upon being demonstrated with for the
exposure full dress entailed, replied.
I have always fought in a cooked hat,
and l always WHIP, his shortfrill stiff
starched, and his cravat tied tight
lnder his chin, as usual How he
escaped unhurt seems wonderful Sew
eral times l lost sight of him in a
cloud of splinters; as they subsidized 1
saw first his cooked hat emerging.
hen by degrees the rest of his person.
lis face smiling, so that altogether one
night imagine him dressed for his
Wedding day"