induced to mention in order to introduce the following letter, which he received on the occasion from Lord Nelson, expres-
covered her shores has struck to the British flag. Let the firing cease then, that he may take possession of his prizes, or he will blow them into the air along with their crews who have so nobly defended them. The brave Danes are the brothers, and should never be the enemies of the English.” This letter was conveyed on shore through the contending fleets by Captain Sir Frederick Thesiger, who acted as his Lordship’s Aide-de-Camp; and who found the Prince near the Sally Port, animating his people in a most spirited manner.
While the boat was absent, the vigorous fire of the ships a-head of the Elephant, and the approach of three of Sir Hyde Parker’s division, the Ramillies, Defence, and Veteran, caused the remainder of the enemy’s line to the eastward of the Trekroner to strike. That formidable work continued its fire, but fortunately at too long a range to do serious damage to any one except the Monarch, whose loss in men, this day, exceeded that of any line-of-battle ship during the war. The firing from the Crown battery and from the leading ships of the British squadron did not cease until past three o’clock; when the Danish Adjutant-General, Lindholm, returning with a flag of truce, directed the fire of the battery to be suspended j and thus the action closed after five hours duration, four of which were warmly contested.
Previous to the boat’s getting on board, Lord Nelson had taken the opinion of his valuable friends, Captains Freemantle and Foley, as to the practicability of advancing with the ships which were least damaged, upon that part of the Danish line of defence yet uninjured. Their opinions were averse from it; and, on the other hand, decidedly in favour of removing the ships, whilst the wind yet held fair, from their present critical situation.
In pursuance of this advice, and immediately on the departure of the Adjutant-General, whom Lord Nelson had referred to the Commander-in-Chief, then at anchor about four miles off, for a conference on the important points which the message he was charged with alluded to, the signal was made for the Glatton, Elephant, Ganges, Defiance, and Monarch, to weigh. The intricacy of the channel now shewed the great utility of what had been done; the Monarch, as first ship, immediately hit on a shoal, but was pushed over it by the Ganges taking her amidships. The Glatton went clear, but the Defiance and Elephant ran aground, leaving the Crown battery at about a mile distance; and there they remained fixed, the former until ten o’clock that night, and the latter until eight, notwithstanding every exertion which their fatigued crews could make to relieve them. Had there been no cessation of hostilities, their situation would certainly have been perilous.
The Elephant being aground, Lord Nelson followed the Danish officer to the London, where that negotiation first began, which terminated in an honourable peace. Lindholm returned to Copenhagen the same evening,
