A Journal of the Proceeding of the Fleet under the command of Admiral Gambier from the

26^th August to 2^nd September 1807.

Heads of orders and letters received and written

Wednesday 26.

RECEIVED

…Commodore Keats…informing me that there are a considerable number of vessels assembled at Eroe, and that some troops have been marched into Nyborg. He has dismantled the Telegraph at Sproë.

WRITTEN

‘Fredrichsværn’ ”is not in a condition to be employed as a vessel of force”, derfor [appointed] til “a hospital ship for the service of the fleet”.

The right wing of the army on its approach towards the south west part of the town, which lies on the harbour, being greatly annoyed in its operations by the enemy’s Gun Boats, I am very desirous by this to afford them any support that may be practicable by sea. The passage between Amach and Zealand which leads to the above point, without passing through the harbour, is represented to be so shallow as not to admit vessels of a magnitude calculated for the above purpose, but desiring to be fully acquitted with this fact, I have ordered Cpt. Phillips (‘Bonetta’) to proceed to the said passage, and carefully explore in his boats to see if any effectual co-operation can be afforded to the army, and for this purpose he is furnished with a flat, or mid hud-boat, which has been taken from the enemy, and two long 18-pounders.

Having received information that the enemy is meditating an attack on our Transports from Elsinore, I have apprised Cpt. Bligh there of and dedicated him to make all anchor to the southward of the ‘Alfred’, except a few of those, that are armed, which are to be placed in advance for the Gun Boats to assemble near them.

Wrote to the Honourable Mr. Pole transmitting a Journal from the 17^th to 25^th incl.

REMARKS

AM Our batteries being advanced beyond the Windmill, have opened their fire on the block ship, 2 Prams, and Gun Boats, which have placed themselves in a position to annoy the army in its advances to this part of the town. Observed an explosion among the Gun Boats, which appeared as if one of them had blown up.

One of the prams was towed into the harbour apparently disabled. I regret that from the vast force of the combined defences of the harbour’s mouth, our Advanced Squadron cannot act with any effect against them.

[Gambier går igen i land til Cathcart. Hører om de engelske troppers fremrykning og] I have since learnt [efter Cathcarts afvisning af Peymanns krav om 36 timers våbenvile for at fjerne sine syge] that the Danes have fired into the Hospital, and killed and wounded several of our men.

Thursday 27.

[Keats og hans Bælt forsvar beskrives. Det strammes.]

Cpt. Phillips of the ‘Bonetta’ to be furnished with a flat Danish Vessel detained by the Belette, to assist in guarding the pass between Amack and Zealand.

REMARKS

The outer block ship (64 guns) being in a position to annoy our operations on shore, I determined to make an attempt to destroy her. Four of the Lamches armed with Howitzers for firing Carcasses, attended by a number of our other boats, were accordingly this evening assembled alongside the ‘Cambrian’, the advanced ship, for the above purpose, to be employed under the orders of Cpt. Arthur of the ‘Vesuvius’, who conceives it possible to approach her by surprise, having passed round her about 9 o’clock last night, without being hailed, and other boats having at different times done the same. The time chosen for this attempt was between 9 and 10, but the night proving too light the boats were dismissed.

Friday 28.

WRITTEN

Keats, Pierrepont og en svensk læge forhindrer danske tropper i at bevæge sig fra Køge Bugt til Amager. Russisk fregat vil landsætte båd i Køge Bugt. Afvises. 2 fiskere fra Vedbæk tillades at sejle til Sverige for at afhente salt og tobak “for the supply of that village”.

REMARKS

En svensk kurer tages i Dragør på vej til Sverige. Han “informs me the town is in considerable distress for water, since many of the pipes by which it was supplied, have been cut off by our army.

He says the harbour’s mouth is defended by a boom as well of the Crown battery.

Saturday 29.

Keats styrker forøges. Gambiers og Cathcarts Proclamation medsendes til brug for “obtaining supplies”.

It being thought advisable to throw up a battery of heavy guns of the line which is in the rear of the Crown Battery, and near the block ships, it has been decided between Lord Cathcart and myself, that the said battery shall be built and served by the assistance of seamen from the fleet. (130 mænd under ledelse af King, ’Hebe’).

REMARKS

AM Our operations on shore going on as yesterday, the enemy frequently firing into our advanced posts.

PM The Danes still refuse to remove their sick and lunatics from the Hospital that forms one of the advanced posts in the centre of our Line and persist in firing on the building, if we occupy it, even to the destruction of their own people. This evening the boats were again assembled in readiness for the attack on the Danish block ship, but the night was again found too light for the attempt.

Sunday 30.

[Kanoner og sandsække til Hæren, Sømænd til batteriet ved “Windmill”. To vessels fra Norge landsætter hver 40 soldater på Nordsiden af Sjælland. Stralsund og Rügen falder snart og derfor i “State of Blockade”. Engelsk flåde må forsynes fra Sverige “since the commencement of hostilities with Denmark].

REMARKS

Lord Cathcart came on board to confer with me respecting the operations against the Town. (Wellesley har taget fanger incl. en general og 10 pieces of artillery fra Køge).

Monday 31.

Directed Cpt. Phillips to remain at his present anchorage between Amack and Zealand where it appears in the opinion of Sir George Ludlow whom he has consulted, that the ‘Boretta’ can be useful in preventing boats from crossing that passage.

REMARKS

At 8 the Gun Boats having come out against our batteries, were kept in check by The Advanced Squadron, and a cannonade ensued in which the Crown Point and block ship took a part; and I am sorry to relate two shells having fallen on board the ‘Charles’ armed Transport, almost at the same moment, and exploded near the Powder room, she blew up. [Engelske både i nærheden reddede mange, men 11 dræbte/savnede, 20sårede] (Gambier i land hos Cathcart).

September

Tuesday 1.

[Der er kommet penge (Species) fra England. Kamp ved Norge]

REMARKS

AM Being ready to open the Batteries Lord Cathcart and myself judged it to be our duty to send a summons to the governor informing him “of the intention to bombard the town, unless he shall deliver up the Danish Navy and allow them to be brought to England, in which case both the public and private property which has been captured since the commencement of hostilities, shall be restored, as also the Danish Fleet when a general peace shall be conceded. If the proposal should not be acceded to, the town, when taken, shall be treated like other conquered places, and captured property public and private, will then belong to the captors. [Peymann afviser, men ønsker pas for at rådføre sig med Chr. 7].

Wednesday 2.

[Ammunition fra ‘Agamemnon’ til Batteri. Penge til hæren]

REMARKS

Lord Cathcart and myself judging it inexpedient to allow time for the Governor of Copenhagen to communicate with the King of Denmark refused to accede to this proposal, and another Flag of Truce was sent in with our final determination.

At 8 PM our batteries opened and a tremendous bombardment commenced. Many Rockets were thrown, and, in a short time, a considerable fire was seen in the town, and, not long after, a second fire broke out, and both burnt for many hours. Our bomb vessels being anchored in convenient position, threw shells into the Crown battery. The Danes, during this attack, continued to fire from their lines with much resolution. [Alle danske vessels and boats ved Køge Bugt ødelagt].

Underskrevet Gambier.