…Navy Sailor Named Himself Ruler of Iceland.
"…Jorgenson's life of adventure began at the age of 15 when the young Dane took a berth on a British coal ship. There he would spend the next four years sailing the North Sea, the Atlantic and even the South Pacific. While on a voyage to Australia, Jorgenson joined HMS Lady Nelson where he served as an officer. During his time aboard, the six-gun cutter charted the Australian coastline and even helped establish the earliest permanent British settlement on Tasmania.
At the age of 27, Jorgenson gave up his commission and returned to his native Denmark, which was fast becoming an enemy of Britain. In fact, he arrived home just in time to bear witness to the bombardment of Copenhagen by ships of the Royal Navy. The assault destroyed a third of the city and killed nearly 5,000 people. The two-week campaign sprung from the Danes' reluctance to turn its navy over to the British, lest it fall into Napoleon's hands. By Sept. 5, 1807, 50 English warships pounded the capital into submission, after which the combined Danish-Norwegian fleet, which included 18 ships of the line and 16 frigates, was reluctantly turned over to King George.
Following the action, Jorgenson sought revenge against his adopted homeland. Because of his extensive experience at sea, he was given command of the 28-gun privateer vessel Admiral Jawl. With his crew of 83 men, the 28-year-old captain captured cargo ships up and down Britain's east coast…"
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Amicalement
Armand
takes the plunge.