“What did Nelson do at the battle of Copenhagen?”
“I will tell you of the battle of Copenhagen, in few words. It was in the year 1801 that a British fleet, under Admiral Sir Hyde Parker and Vice-admiral Lord Nelson, sailed into the Baltic to attack the northern Powers before they joined their fleets to those of France and Holland. The Danes had made great preparation. They had six sail-of-the-line, eleven floating batteries, and small craft without number, chained to one another, and to the ground. These were all under the protection of the Crown batteries, which mounted more than four score guns, besides the fortifications of the Island of Amack. But the British admirals were all undaunted.”
“Nothing would daunt Admiral Nelson. He was always ready, if what is said of him is true, to fight with the enemies of his country.”
“Nelson, who might have taken for his motto,
‘In battle’s front the foremost place I claim,
The first in danger, as the first in fame!’
led on the attack, with twelve ships of the line, besides frigates and fire-ships. There was plenty to do, and no hanging back on the part of British sailors. For four hours there was as hard fighting as any one could desire, thundering away on both sides, crashing and smashing, till the whole Danish fleet, with the exception of a few schooners and bomb-vessels, were sunk, burnt, or taken. Had not a negotiation taken place, most likely the Danish capital would have been destroyed. I will give you an anecdote of Admiral Nelson and a common seaman, that few people know of. It was told me by Hewson’s master.”
“Who was Hewson?”
“Listen, and you shall hear.”
“A seaman of the name of Hewson, who had served under Lord Nelson, was working as a caster in a manufactory at Birmingham when Nelson visited the place. Among other manufactories, the admiral paid a visit to that where Hewson was at work as a brassfounder; and though no employment disfigures a workman more with smoke and dust than the process of casting, the quick eye of Nelson recognized in the caster an old associate. ‘What, Hewson, my lad!’ said he, ‘are you here?’ Hewson laid hold of the hair that hung over his forehead, and making an awkward bow, replied, ‘Yes, your honour.’ ‘Why, how comes this about! You and I are old acquaintances; you were with me in the Captain when I boarded the San Joseph, were you not?’ Hewson again laid hold of his hair, and bowing, replied, ‘Yes, your honour.’ ‘I remember you well,’ said Nelson: ‘you were one of the cleverest fellows about the vessel! If anything was to be done Hewson was the lad to do it. Why, what do you do here, working like a negro? Take this,’ throwing him money, ‘and wash the dust down your throat.’ Hewson withdrew to a neighbouring ale-house, boasting of the character the admiral had given him. Month after month passed away, but Hewson returned not—his shop-tools were abandoned, and no one could account for his absence. At length a stripling, in a sailor’s jacket, entered the manufactory and said, ‘He was come to settle his father’s affairs.’ This was no other than Hewson’s son, from whose account it appeared, that when Hewson, somewhat elevated with liquor, but more with the praise the admiral had bestowed on him, quitted Birmingham, he walked his way down to Portsmouth, entered once more on board Lord Nelson’s ship, and fell with him in the battle of Trafalgar.”