The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-07-11
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tain, who stood by him. Il have only
one eye. 1 have a right to be blind
sometimes and then. lifting the glass
to the sightless orb. and pointing it at
the flagship, he said archly, i really do
not see the signal
So the battle went on with undated
vigor until at last the tide seemed to
turn in favor of the British. Several
vessels went adrift, others were desert
ed by their crews and the Danish along
the line
In this emergency. Lieut. Villemoes
saw the opportunity for which he had
been waiting.
The Elephant was undoubtedly the
keyship of the enemy. II she could
only be destroyed. the Danes migh,
yet win the day. Explaining this to
his men. he asked them were they
ready to 90 out against the English
battleship. They responded by a Wig
orous cheer, and. without more ado.
the praam pushed off and made
straight for the Elephants quarter
Truly never was a more daring or des-
perate venture undertaken, A wooden
raft, carrying six small Cannons and
twenty-five men. to challenge a great
line-of- battle shp-it was nothing less
than David and Goliath over again,
At first the Gunners of the Elephant
did not notice the new assailant that
bore somewhat the same relation to
their huge vessel that a wasp might
to a man.
But presently the stings of this water
wasp began to make themselves felt.
Discharged at close range, and low down.
the Praam's cannon. small though they
were, sent their iron missiles crash
ing into the Elephants hull in fine
style.
So dangerous an assailant could not
he treated with contemptuous indiffer-
ence. Accordingly. several of the stern
guns were loaded with shrapnel and
their deadly contents hurled at the
praam. accompanied by rafting volleys
of muskctry
Nearly every bullet might he trusted
to find its billet at that short range
The slaughter among the crew of the
raft was terrible. Quickly its gallant
defenders fell. until at length only
four were left upon their feet. One
of these was Lieut.. ViIlemoes, who
standing up to his waist amid hi,
own dead, refused to finch before the
enemy's fatal fire.
He seemed to bear charmed life,
and. waving his sword above his heau.
shouted defiance at the invaders of his
country.
Yet in the face of that hail of bull
lets he must inevitably fall and more
than one of the marines on board the
Elephant was taking special aim at him.
when suddenly all firing ceased. a
truce had been proclaimed. and hostili-
ties were suspended for the time
Almost unmanagable. the praam with
her freight of dead and dying drifted
before wind and back to the Danish
shore, where there were many TO re-
ceive her brave commander with fer
vent acclaim for his splendid hero
ism -
The kclusion of the negotiations was
celebrated by a banquet given by the
Prince. at which the principal officers
of the English fleet Were present as
guests.
Nelson. who had witnessed the at
tack of the praam with the highest
admiration for its daring commander and
crew, took pains at the banquet to speak
in glowing phrase of such heroic con-
duct and particularly requested the
Prince to have young Nillemoes pre-
scented to him
On this being done, he cordially en-
braced the blushing youth. and. turn
ing to the Prince, said:
This brave lad should he made an adj
miral, your Highness.''
The Prince smiled, while the bril-
liant assembly cheered at this heart
stirring scene.
My lord" was the apt reply. IF |
were to make all my brave officers admr-
rails. I should have no captains or lieu-
tenants in my service
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