Royal Dano-Norwegian Navy order of battle in Norway (1808)

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The following is a List of the Royal Dano-Norwegian naval order of battle in Norway in 1808 [1] [Note 1] after the capture of the British brig Seagull on 19 June 1808.

Contents

Following the loss of the Danish-Norwegian fleet at the Battle of Copenhagen in 1807 and of the last ship-of-the line, Prinds Christian Frederick , at Zealand Point in March 1808, Denmark-Norway were forced to adopt the method of defence later known as the Gunboat War. Lacking the time and resources to build a new battle fleet, they concentrated on smaller craft capable of carrying heavy, long range cannon viz. gunboats that were effective in the calmer, narrower inshore waters, but could not challenge enemy warships in rougher seas. [2] For the rougher waters of the Norwegian Sea from 1808 onward, a new class of gunship, the seaworthy 50-man pine-built Norske Kanonskonnert were to be built in Bergen and Trondheim. Ten such gunships were constructed before 1814, and more after Norway achieved independence from Denmark. [3]

Command structure

Adjutant General of the navy: Commander Lorenz Fisker [1]

The station at Hvaløerne and Grændsen (Hvaler Islands and the border with Sweden at the mouth of the Oslofjord):

The station at Fredriksværn (Western side of the Oslofjord, near Stavern):

The station at Langesund (Western side of the Oslofjord, opposite Hvaler):

The station at Øster-Risøer (Western side of the Oslofjord, south of Langesund):

The station at Arendal (Western side of the Oslofjord, south of Øster-Risøer):

The station at Christianssand (Kristiansand, near southern tip of Norway):

The station at Mandal (At the southern tip of Norway):

The station at Stavanger :

The station in Bergen :

The station in Trondhjem :

Vessels

Gunboats

Larger Gun Boats (named in list, by station) - Kanonchalupper usually armed with 2 x 24-pounder cannon and 4 x 4-pounder howitzers [1]

Smaller Gun Boats (named in list, by station) - Kanonjolle each with one 24 pound cannon [1]

Batteries

Fixed Coastal Batteries:

Floating Batteries

Notes

  1. ↑ As translated/copied from the reference Larsen N.A."and summarised by Viking1808 November 2016 to January 2017.
  2. ↑ In translating ranks Premierløitnant = Senior Lieutenant; Sekondløitnant = Junior Lieutenant; Maanedsløitnant = Acting Lieutenant; Kadet-Maanedsløitnant = Midshipman-Acting Lieutenant

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Larsen N.A. 1878 - Fra Krigens Tid (1807 - 1814)
  2. ↑ Munch-Petersen: Defying Napoleon p 237
  3. ↑ Mo, Sverre; Norske marinefartøy; Bodoni Forlag; Bergen; 2008
  4. ↑ Topsøe-Jensen Vol II p 228
  5. ↑ Calmeyer 1925
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