The King said after the battle of certain of
his captains, "They used me as a screen between them and the enemy."
His own ship and that of his chief admiral's bore the brunt of the
battle for a long time. _Trefoldigheden_ fired 315 shots during the
engagement, and at one time had four hostile, ships clustering about
her. King Christian was on the quarter-deck when a cannon-ball
shivered the bulwark and one of his guns, throwing a shower of
splintered iron and wood over him and those near him, killing and
wounding twelve of the crew. The King himself fell, stunned and
wounded in twenty-three places. His right eye was knocked out, two
of his teeth, and his left ear hung in shreds.
The cry was raised that the King was dead and panic spread on board.
The story has it that a sailor was sent aloft to strike the flag but
purposely entangled it in the rigging so that it could not fall; he
could not bear to see the King's ship strike its colors. In the
midst of the tumult the aged monarch rose to his feet, torn and
covered with blood. "I live yet," he cried, "and God has left me
strength to fight on for my country. Let every man do his duty."
Leaning on his sword, he led the fight until darkness fell and the
battle was won. Denmark was saved.
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