Hero Tales of the Far North | Page 5

his critics no lack of cause. His
enterprises were often enough of a hair-raising kind, and he had scant
patience with censure. Thus once, when harassed by an Admiralty
order purposely issued to annoy him, he wrote back: "The biggest fool
can see that to obey would defeat all my plans. I shall not do it. It may
suit folk who love loafing about shore, but to an honest man such talk
is disgusting, let alone that the thing can't be done." He was at that time
twenty-six years old, and in charge of the whole North Sea fleet. No
wonder he had enemies.
However, the King was his friend. He made him a nobleman, and gave
him the name Tordenskjold. It means "thunder shield."
"Then, by the powers," he swore when he was told, "I shall thunder in
the ears of the Swedes so that the King shall hear of it!" And he kept
his word.
Charles had determined to take Denmark with one fell blow. He had an
army assembled in Skaane to cross the sound, which was frozen over
solid. All was ready for the invasion in January 1716. The people
throughout Sweden had assembled in the churches to pray for the
success of the King's arms, and he was there himself to lead; but in the
early morning hours a strong east wind broke up the ice, and the
campaign ended before it was begun. Charles then turned on Norway,
and laid siege to the city of Frederikshald, which, with its strong fort,
Frederiksteen, was the key to that country. A Danish fleet lay in the
Skagerak, blocking his way of reënforcements by sea. Tordenskjold,
with his frigate, Hvide Örnen, and six smaller ships (the frigate
Vindhunden of sixteen guns, and five vessels of light draught, two of
which were heavily armed), was doing scouting duty for the Admiral
when he learned that the entire Swedish fleet of forty-four ships that
was intended to aid in the operations against Frederikshald lay in the
harbor of Dynekilen waiting its chance to slip out. It was so well
shielded there that its commander sent word to the King to rest easy;
nothing could happen to him. He would join him presently.

Tordenskjold saw that if he could capture or destroy this fleet Norway
was saved; the siege must perforce be abandoned. And Norway was his
native land, which he loved with his whole fervid soul. But no time was
to be lost. He could not go back to ask for permission, and one may
shrewdly guess that he did not want to, for it would certainly have been
refused. He heard that the Swedish officers, secure in their stronghold,
were to attend a wedding on shore the next day. His instructions from
the Admiralty were: in an emergency always to hold a council of war,
and to abide by its decision. At daybreak he ran his ship alongside
Vindhunden, her companion frigate, and called to the captain:
"The Swedish officers are bidden to a wedding, and they have forgotten
us. What do you say--shall we go unasked?"
Captain Grip was game. "Good enough!" he shouted back. "The wind
is fair, and we have all day. I am ready."
That was the council of war and its decision. Tordenskjold gave the
signal to clear for action, and sailed in at the head of his handful of
ships.
The inlet to the harbor of Dynekilen is narrow and crooked, winding
between reefs and rocky steeps quite two miles, and only in spots more
than four hundred feet wide. Halfway in was a strong battery.
Tordenskjold's fleet was received with a tremendous fire from all the
Swedish ships, from the battery, and from an army of four thousand
soldiers lying along shore. The Danish ships made no reply. They
sailed up grimly silent till they reached a place wide enough to let them
wear round, broadside on. Then their guns spoke. Three hours the battle
raged before the Swedish fire began to slacken. As soon as he noticed it,
Tordenskjold slipped into the inner harbor under cover of the heavy
pall of smoke, and before the Swedes suspected their presence they
found his ships alongside. Broadside after broadside crashed into them,
and in terror they fled, soldiers and sailors alike. While they ran
Tordenskjold swooped down upon the half-way battery, seized it, and
spiked its guns. The fight was won.
But the heaviest part was left--the towing out of the captured ships. All

the afternoon Tordenskjold led the work in person, pulling on ropes,
cheering on his men. The Swedes, returning gamely to the fight,
showered them with bullets from shore. One of the abandoned vessels
caught fire. Lieutenant Tönder, of Tordenskjold's staff, a veteran with a
wooden leg, boarded it just as