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NAVAL HISTORY
1801
BRITISH AND DANISH FLEETS
76

 

and one marine killed, and seven seamen and two marines wounded; the Alcmène, five seamen killed, and one lieutenant (Henry Baker), her boatswain (Charles Church), one master's mate (George Augustus Spearing), one pilot, 12 seamen, one lieutenant and two privates of marines wounded ; and the Dart, her first lieutenant (Richard Edward Sandys) and two seamen killed, and one seaman wounded: making, including among the killed the one missing in the Ganges, a total of 255 killed, and 688 wounded.

Thus say the official returns; but it would appear that these take no notice of the slightly wounded. As one instance, the Ardent, besides her 64 in the returns, had 40 wounded who were able to go to quarters. The whole of the slightly wounded, according to the testimony of officers in the fleet, would have swelled the wounded total to at least 950, and the total of killed and wounded to upwards of 1200. More than half of the wounded, enumerated in the returns, are also represented to have died of their wounds. If this be correct, the loss may be stated thus: killed and mortally wounded 350; recoverably and slightly wounded 850.

Even the smallest in amount, of the two returns of loss here given, could only have resulted from good and steady firing; and, truly, the British ships displayed the marks of it in their hulls, lower shrouds, and lower masts, rather than, as on most occasions, in their upper masts, running rigging, and sails. The Glatton, indeed, had her fore topmast shot away; but it does not appear that any other ship's topmast, or even topgallantmast, came down during the action, Most of the ships had a part of their guns rendered useless. Of the Ardent's maindeck 42 pounder carronades, more than half were disabled; as were seven of the Glatton's 32, and two of her 68-pounders. It has already been stated, that a part of the Bellona's heavy loss arose from the bursting of two of her guns : a similar accident, it is believed, occurred a second time (see p. 66) on board the Isis. Both of these ships were very old, the one having been built in 1760, and the other in 1774 ; and their guns were probably the same originally established upon them.

The damages sustained by the Danish ships, or floating-hulks, may be summed up by stating, that the greater part of them were literally knocked to pieces. To this condition they would undoubtedly have been reduced, in much less time than four hours, the duration of the general cannonade, had the pilots permitted the British ships to take a closer position to their Danish opponents, than from 300 to 400 yards; in which case the heavy carronades of the Glatton and Ardent would have produced their full effect. With respect to the Danish loss, we are unable to particularize it. Commodore Fischer reckoned his killed and wounded, according to the lowest estimate, at between 1600 and 1800 men; including 270 lost by the Dannebrog

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