WI: Royal Navy disaster at Copenhagen

What if the Battle of Copenhagen in 1801 was a crushing, or at least a major, defeat for the British? How will other nations react to this event? How will this effect future events?

Let's add another scenario. If Nelson died in that battle, how will this affect Trafalgar, if it still happens?
 

TFSmith121

Banned
What if the Battle of Copenhagen in 1801 was a crushing, or at least a major, defeat for the British? How will other nations react to this event? How will this effect future events?

Let's add another scenario. If Nelson died in that battle, how will this affect Trafalgar, if it still happens?

Disaster in terms of what? The Danes would have to be significantly better equipped and organized than what seems likely historically to win a major victory in tactical terms, even if they catch a couple of breaks; weather? Something akin to the Samoa hurricane? Seems unlikely given the RN's institutional knowledge of the Baltic...

Nelson's death would be a blow, but as excellent as he was, it's not like the RN didn't enjoy a pretty deep bench at the time.

Best,
 
A Danish victory is possible if Nelson obeys the withdrawal signal which has his ships having to pass relatively intact Danish defences. Or possibly, more likely he is wounded yet again, and his successor does so.
Even a relatively undamaged retreat would still be a Danish victory although not a crushing one. But a few ships grounded in the wrong place could snarl up the rest under Danish guns resulting in more losses amongst Nelson's squadron. However, even with this the remainder of the fleet under Hyde Parker remains intact.
 
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Redbeard

Banned
A Danish victory is possible if Nelson obeys the withdrawal signal which has his ships having to pass relatively intact Danish defences. Or possibly, more likely he is wounded yet again, and his successor does so.
Even a relatively undamaged retreat would still be a Danish victory although not a crushing one. But a few ships grounded in the wrong place could snarl up the rest under Danish guns resulting in more losses amongst Nelson's squadron. However, even with this the remainder of the fleet under Hyde Parker remains intact.
Exactly, and by April weather can be quite unpredictable around here. Could cause some very unfortunate groundings and/or being blown into range of some of the strong coastal forts in the area.
 
Copenhagen 1801 [as possible p.o.d.]

At 13 30 on 2 April 1801, Admiral Horatio Nelson had just seen the signal to retreat from the fighting when a shell hit him and caused severe injury through a telescope observed by Danish sailors. As he was taken down HMS Elephant for treatment [minimal butterflies would have him injured or replaced by someone equally competent such as Collingwood], Admiral Parker suggested a retreat that was to be obeyed at 14 00 that day. The Royal Navy retreated and in the process, managed to save HMS Bellona and Russell, with Agamennon just managing to survive the few pursuing Danish vessels.

Denmark-Norway lost 2 barges sunk and 2 ships lost to explosion [one being the flagship and an artillery barge sent to rescue the flagship]. In the aftermath, Admiral Parker was court martialled, but he was relieved of charges. His timidity just as the battle was fought to a near victory which would be obtained within an hour of 14 00 that day would result in controversy, but perception was completely different from reality to him.

As a result, an attempt was made to destroy the Danish Mediterranean Squadron in June 1801, which struck to the British and was sailed to Gibraltar after losing its frigates. The ship that was captured [Sejeren] would be renamed HMS Nassau [instead of Holsteen] and commissioned in 1805. [see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HDMS_Holsteen for its hypothetical career]. The remaining ships were reclassified as blocking ships and were sunk in December 1807 in a very costly battle for Britain and Denmark at Copenhagen.


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Copenhagen 1801 [as possible p.o.d.]

At 13 30 on 2 April 1801, Admiral Horatio Nelson had just seen the signal to retreat from the fighting when a shell hit him and caused severe injury through a telescope observed by Danish sailors. As he was taken down HMS Elephant for treatment [minimal butterflies would have him injured or replaced by someone equally competent such as Collingwood], Admiral Parker suggested a retreat that was to be obeyed at 14 00 that day. The Royal Navy retreated and in the process, managed to save HMS Bellona and Russell, with Agamennon just managing to survive the few pursuing Danish vessels.

Denmark-Norway lost 2 barges sunk and 2 ships lost to explosion [one being the flagship and an artillery barge sent to rescue the flagship]. In the aftermath, Admiral Parker was court martialled, but he was relieved of charges. His timidity just as the battle was fought to a near victory which would be obtained within an hour of 14 00 that day would result in controversy, but perception was completely different from reality to him.

As a result, an attempt was made to destroy the Danish Mediterranean Squadron in June 1801, which struck to the British and was sailed to Gibraltar after losing its frigates. The ship that was captured [Sejeren] would be renamed HMS Nassau [instead of Holsteen] and commissioned in 1805. [see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HDMS_Holsteen for its hypothetical career]. The remaining ships were reclassified as blocking ships and were sunk in December 1807 in a very costly battle for Britain and Denmark at Copenhagen.

[Posted on another timeline of mine.]
 
A [slightly more] well prepared Danish fleet

[P.o.d.: The Danish ships anchored at the 'Inner Run' of Copenhagen's harbour are readied on time. Effective from time listed below and probably involves the Swedish Navy fighting with the Danes.]

At 12:00, a very small fleet of Danish ships was seen moving to the south and supported by fire from 2 blocking ships [that were later destroyed by frigates]. The ships involved [2 each of brigs and modern battleships] soon found themselves engaged with HMS Monarch and Defiance, inflicting severe damage. HMS Ganges suffered heavily from gunfire from 3 ships of the line and was nearly shelled to wreckage had it been not for supporting ships [it would be reconstructed while in dockyard later]. A smaller 50-gun ship of the line was almost sunk, but rescued by the intervention of HMS Bellona. Later, Bellona had to be towed away by another grounded ship and the smaller ship was sunk while returning home, having grounded earlier with heavy casualties. HMS Elephant was engaged with the Danish flagship and several others in support.

After Danish resistance was stopped by 16:40 hours, the Danish Navy had lost a flagship to an explosion, 6 immobile and 2 mobile ships of the line and all the smaller vessels in the defence fleet, plus a few fortresses by 17:00 hours while the British lost 2 ships of the line for some time [one sunk and the other in need of rebuilding after decommissioning]. Copenhagen had to surrender, but the Swedish efforts to engage the British fleet and the loss of many Swedish and Danish ships terminated the League of Armed Neutrality. [Or HMS Monarch and Ganges to fortresses after heavy damage received earlier.]

It was revealed that the British were planning to bribe the Russians with prizes, northern Norway and Finland should the League continue its course, but it was terminated. 2 Swedish and 4 Danish ships of the line ended up as prizes and were evaluated for construction, the rest being burnt. After the losses of ships, British threats and the assassination of the League's mastermind, both enemy fleets were disarmed.
 
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