Its 1801. The War of the Second Coalition is reaching its end.
Britain is still blockading France, using its mighty navy. However, there are some nations who are hurting the british war effort.
The Second League of Armed Neutrality.
Denmark-Norway, Sweden, Russia and Prussia are going against the british policy of searching neutral ships for French Contrabands.
The British Government decides to end this alliance and dispatches a fleet led by Admiral Sir Hyde Parker and Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson.
They were to force Denmark-Norway out of the league before the ice in the baltic sea melted, and the Russian Navy could join the Swedish and Dano-Norwegian and thereby forming a large fleet consisting of 123 ships of the line.
Most of the Danish Navy had been moored for the winter, and where not able to engage the british task force, therefore the Danish Ships were mostly made up of floating batteries and also notably the fort Trekroner (who had 68 heavy cannons). The British fleet consisted of 20 ships of the line and several smaller ships.
The two fleets engaged eachother on the 1st of April. The British fleet instantly gained the upper hand due to their skillfull gunnery, but the Danish batteries had the advantage of heavier guns and a more stable firing platform. After a couple of hours of battle, Nelson sent a letter to the Dano-Norwegian Crown Prince stating that if the Dano-Norwegian fleet didnt stop their firing instantly, then he would be forced to burn the captured danish ships with their crew onboard. The Crown Prince immediatly agreed to the cease-fire without consulting Commander Fischer who was in charge of the Danish Fleet. The Danes agreed to withdraw from the League and with the Russian Tsar assassined later, the League totally collapsed.
BUT WHAT IF the Dano-Norwegian Crown Prince hadnt signed under?
Would the British have been defeated?
It should be noted that at this point.
Nelson hadnt captured any Dano-Norwegian ships when he sent the letter.
Most of the engaged Danish and British ships were disabled, and 3 british ships were drifting into range of Trekroner Fort.
Also, the Dano-Norwegian Reserve was decisively larger than the British, also the wind was changing direction, which ment that the Swedish Fleet at Karlskrona could soon leave for Copenhagen (a relatively short trip)
Would the War of the Third Coalition have gone differently?
Britain is still blockading France, using its mighty navy. However, there are some nations who are hurting the british war effort.
The Second League of Armed Neutrality.
Denmark-Norway, Sweden, Russia and Prussia are going against the british policy of searching neutral ships for French Contrabands.
The British Government decides to end this alliance and dispatches a fleet led by Admiral Sir Hyde Parker and Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson.
They were to force Denmark-Norway out of the league before the ice in the baltic sea melted, and the Russian Navy could join the Swedish and Dano-Norwegian and thereby forming a large fleet consisting of 123 ships of the line.
Most of the Danish Navy had been moored for the winter, and where not able to engage the british task force, therefore the Danish Ships were mostly made up of floating batteries and also notably the fort Trekroner (who had 68 heavy cannons). The British fleet consisted of 20 ships of the line and several smaller ships.
The two fleets engaged eachother on the 1st of April. The British fleet instantly gained the upper hand due to their skillfull gunnery, but the Danish batteries had the advantage of heavier guns and a more stable firing platform. After a couple of hours of battle, Nelson sent a letter to the Dano-Norwegian Crown Prince stating that if the Dano-Norwegian fleet didnt stop their firing instantly, then he would be forced to burn the captured danish ships with their crew onboard. The Crown Prince immediatly agreed to the cease-fire without consulting Commander Fischer who was in charge of the Danish Fleet. The Danes agreed to withdraw from the League and with the Russian Tsar assassined later, the League totally collapsed.
BUT WHAT IF the Dano-Norwegian Crown Prince hadnt signed under?
Would the British have been defeated?
It should be noted that at this point.
Nelson hadnt captured any Dano-Norwegian ships when he sent the letter.
Most of the engaged Danish and British ships were disabled, and 3 british ships were drifting into range of Trekroner Fort.
Also, the Dano-Norwegian Reserve was decisively larger than the British, also the wind was changing direction, which ment that the Swedish Fleet at Karlskrona could soon leave for Copenhagen (a relatively short trip)
Would the War of the Third Coalition have gone differently?