and they agreed that the armistice should continue fourteen weeks; and

that, at its termination, fourteen days' notice should be given before
the recommencement of hostilities.

An official account of the battle was published by Olfert Fischer,
the Danish commander-in-chief in which it was asserted that our force

was greatly superior; nevertheless, that two of our ships of the line
had struck; that the others were so weakened, and especially Lord

Nelson's own ship, as to fire only single shots for an hour before the
end of the action; and that this hero himself, in the middle and very

heat of the conflict, sent a flag of truce on shore, to propose a
cessation of hostilities. For the truth of this account the Dane

appealed to the prince, and all those who, like him, had been
eyewitnesses of the scene. Nelson was exceedinglyindignant at such a

statement, and addressed a letter in confutation of it to the Adjutant-
General Lindholm; thinking this incumbent on him for the information of

the prince, since His Royal Highness had been appealed to as a witness:
"Otherwise," said he, "had Commodore Fischer confined himself to his own

veracity, I should have treated his official letter with the contempt it
deserved, and allowed the world to appreciate the merits of the two

commanding officers." After pointing out and detecting some of the
misstatements in the account, he proceeds: "As to his nonsense about

victory, His Royal Highness will not much credit him. I sunk, burnt,
captured, or drove into the harbour, the whole line of defence to the

southward of the Crown Islands. He says he is told that two British
ships struck. Why did he not take possession of them? I took possession

of his as fast as they struck. The reason is clear, that he did not
believe it: he must have known the falsity of the report. He states that

the ship in which I had the honour to hoist my flag fired latterly only
single guns. It is true; for steady and cool were my brave fellows, and

did not wish to throw away a single shot. He seems to exult that I sent
on shore a flag of truce. You know, and His Royal Highness knows, that

the guns fired from the shore could only fire through the Danish ships
which had surrendered; and that, if I fired at the shore, it could only

be in the same manner. God forbid that I should destroy an unresisting
Dane! When they become my prisoners, I become their protector."

This letter was written in terms of great asperity to the Danish
commander. Lindholm replied in a manner every way honourable to himself.

He vindicated the commodore in some points, and excused him in others;
reminding Nelson that every commander-in-chief was liable to receive

incorrect reports. With a natural desire to represent the action in the
most favourable light to Denmark, he took into the comparative strength

of the two parties the ships which were aground, and which could not get
into action; and omitted the Trekroner and the batteries upon Amak

Island. He disclaimed all idea of claiming as a victory, "what, to every
intent and purpose," said he, "was a defeat--but not an inglorious one.

As to your lordship's motive for sending a flag of truce, it never can
be misconstrued and your subsequent conduct has sufficiently shown that

humanity is always the companion of true valour. You have done more: you
have shown yourself a friend to the re-establishment of peace and good

harmony between this country and Great Britain. It is, therefore, with
the sincerest esteem I shall always feel myself attached to your

lordship." Thus handsomely winding up his reply, he soothed and
contented Nelson; who drawing up a memorandum of the comparative force

of the two parties for his own satisfaction, assured Lindholm that, if
the commodore's statement had been in the same manly and honourable

strain, he would have been the last man to have noticed any little
inaccuracies which might get into a commander-in-chiefs public letter.

For the battle of Copenhagen Nelson was raised to the rank of
viscount--an inadequate mark of reward for services so splendid, and of

such paramount importance to the dearest interests of England. There
was, however, some prudence in dealing out honours to him step by step:

had he lived long enough, he would have fought his way up to a dukedom.
CHAPTER VIII

1801 - 1805
Sir Hyde Parker is recalled and Nelson appointed Commander--

He goes to Revel--Settlement of Affairs in the Baltic--Un-
successful Attempt upon the Flotilla at Boulogne--Peace of

Amiens--Nelson takes Command in the Mediterranean on the
Renewal of the War--Escape of the Toulon Fleet--Nelson

chases them to the West Indies and back--Delivers up his
Squadron to Admiral Cornwallis and lands in England.

*
WHEN Nelson informed Earl St. Vincent that the armistice had been

concluded, he told him also, without reserve, his own discontent at the
dilatoriness and indecision which he witnessed, and could not remedy.

"No man," said he, "but those who are on the spot, can tell what I have
gone through, and do suffer. I make no scruple in saying, that I would

have been at Revel fourteen days ago! that, without this armistice, the
fleet would never have gone, but by order of the Admiralty; and with it,

I daresay, we shall not go this week. I wanted Sir Hyde to let me, at
least, go and cruise off Carlscrona, to prevent the Revel ships from

getting in. I said I would not go to Revel to take any of those laurels
which I was sure he would reap there. Think for me, my dear lord: and

if I have deserved well, let me return; if ill, for Heaven's sake
supersede me, for I cannot exist in this state."

Fatigue, incessantanxiety, and a climate little suited to one of a
tender constitution, which had now for many years been accustomed to

more genial latitudes, made him at this time seriously determine upon
returning home. "If the northern business were not settled," he

said,"they must send more admirals; for the keen air of the north had
cut him to the heart." He felt the want of activity and decision in the

commander-in-chief more keenly; and this affected his spirits, and,
consequently, his health, more than the inclemency of the Baltic. Soon

after the armistice was signed, Sir Hyde proceeded to the eastward with
such ships as were fit for service, leaving Nelson to follow with the

rest, as soon as those which had received slight damages should be
repaired, and the rest sent to England. In passing between the isles of

Amak and Saltholm, most of the ships touched the ground, and some of
them stuck fast for a while: no serious injury, however, was sustained.

It was intended to act against the Russians first, before the breaking
up of the frost should enable them to leave Revel; but learning on the

way that the Swedes had put to sea to effect a junction with them, Sir
Hyde altered his course, in hopes of intercepting this part of the

enemy's force. Nelson had, at this time, provided for the more pressing
emergencies of the service, and prepared on the 18th to follow the

fleet. The ST. GEORGE drew too much water to pass the channel between
the isles without being lightened; the guns were therefore taken out,

and put on board an American vessel; a contrary wind, however, prevented
Nelson from moving; and on that same evening, while he was thus delayed,

information reached him of the relative situation of the Swedish and
British fleets, and the probability of an action. The fleet was nearly

ten leagues distant, and both wind and current contrary, but it was not
possible that Nelson could wait for a favourable season under such an

expectation. He ordered his boat immediately, and stepped into it.
Night was setting in, one of the cold spring nights of the north; and it

was discovered, soon after they left the ship, that in their haste they
had forgotten to provide him with a boat-cloak. He, however, forbade

them to return for one; and when one of his companions offered his own
great-coat, and urged him to make use of it, he replied, "I thank you

very much; but, to tell you the truth, my anxiety keeps me sufficiently
warm at present."

"Do you think," said he presently,"that our fleet has quitted
Bornholm? If it has, we must follow it to Carlscrona." About midnight

he reached it, and once more got on board the ELEPHANT. On the following
morning the Swedes were discovered; as soon, however, as they perceived

the English approaching, they retired, and took shelter in Carlscrona,
behind the batteries on the island, at the entrance of that port. Sir

Hyde sent in a flag of truce, stating that Denmark had concluded an
armistice, and requiring an explicit declaration from the court of

Sweden, whether it would adhere to or abandon the hostile measures which
it had taken against the rights and interests of Great Britain? The

commander, Vice-Admiral Cronstadt, replied, "That he could not answer a
question which did not come within the particular circle of his duty;

but that the king was then at Maloe, and would soon be at Carlscrona."
Gustavus shortly afterwards arrived, and an answer was then returned to

this effect: "That his Swedish majesty would not, for a moment, fail to
fulfil, with fidelity and sincerity, the engagements he had entered into