Subject: RE: Syphilis and Nelson
From:
Jim Carroll
Date: 18 Aug 08 - 12:19 PM
Puck,
Can't find anything on Trafalgar, but this is a similar song to the one you describe on the Battle of Copenhagen. It is from C H Firth's Naval Songs and Ballads, Navy Records Society, 1907, and originally comes from The Madden Collection of broadsides.
Jim Carroll
ACTION OFF COPENHAGEN.
You undaunted sons of Britannia, lend an ear,
A story concerning a fight you shall hear.
It was on March the 12th, my boys, our fleet did sail
Out of Yarmouth with a sweet and pleasant gale.
Our Commander-in-Chief, Admiral Parker by name,
And Vice-Admiral Nelson, that man of great fame,
And Rear-Admiral Graves which drew up the rear,
While so boldly for Elsenore Castle we steer'd.
On the 13th we so boldly pass'd Elsenore by,
While so many thousand shot and shells they did fly;
Then straight for Copenhagen our fleet they did steer,
And we anchor'd abreast of the town without fear.
On the second of April it was the glorious day
When bold Nelson's division they got under weigh—
Each ship set for action, each man to his gun,
Resolv'd so boldly we was for to run.
It was into the roads where the Danish flag did fly,
Determin'd alongside of their fleet for to lie;
Said we will make them to strike, my boys, or else we'll send them
down, There for to storm and set fire to their town.
The first was the Edgar, she did lead the van,
At eleven o'clock the heavy fire began,
The Ardent and Glatton, the rest did the same,
The Defiance and Monarch behaved with great fame.
Then in came Lord Nelson, in the Elephant',
Next Bellona and Ganges, so boldly they went;
The bold Polyphemus run in the same way,
And the brave little Isis her part she did play.
The Amazon, the Hermione, the Desirée and Blanch,
They anchor'd in the line and behav'd so staunch ;
The Otter and the Dart they anchored also,
Until by a signal was forc'd for to go.
Now these four frigates that we have mentioned here,
And two little sloops that run in without fear,
They all run and anchor'd alongside the fleet,
Their forts the same time they began to defeat.
But so great was their mistake, at about four o'clock
They found they could no longer stand our shot;
For their batteries we clear'd, my boys, which was our own desire
And the town in three places our bombs set on fire.
Seven of their two-deckers to us they did strike,
And six floating batteries likewise did the like.
'Well done, my brave boys !' said Lord Nelson; ' that's right,
For your courage and mine you have displayed in this fight.'
So now, my brave boys, let it never be said
That ever Lord Nelson or Graves was afraid.
Success to our officers throughout the whole fleet,
That encouraged the Britons the Danes to defeat.
So now [to conclude and to finish my log],
Call up the steward to serve out the grog.
Here's a health to our wives and sweethearts at home,
For they'll give us a glass when to England we come.
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sj
