Nelson forcing the passage of the sound, 30 March 1801, prior to the Battle of...

Creator: Robert Dodd Early on the morning of 30 March 1801 the British fleet sailed for the narrow neck of the Sound between Kronborg Castle, at Elsinore and Sweden, the event recorded in this painting. Although very narrow the range was too great for the Danish batteries to inflict any damage. The leading British ship, the 'Monarch', 74 guns, commanded by Captain James Robert Mosse, is in the right foreground, almost bow on and in port-bow view. She is followed to the right by the 'Elephant', 74 guns, in starboard-bow view, with Nelson flying his flag as Vice-Admiral of the Blue. Kronborg Castle stands on the left, this side of the gun-smoke in the middle distance, with a little harbour for small craft in the left foreground. The rearmost British ships are in the left background, in starboard-bow view, leaving the Kattegat to enter the Sound. They cleared the Sound the same day to anchor off the Swedish island of Hven, ready for the attack on Copenhagen.