The Last Battle Between The Danes And Swedes, Which Gave New Life To
Their Ancient Enmity, Was Fought At This
Place 1788; only seventeen
or eighteen were killed, for the great superiority of the Danes and
Norwegians obliged the Swedes
To submit; but sickness, and a
scarcity of provision, proved very fatal to their opponents on their
return.
It would be very easy to search for the particulars of this
engagement in the publications of the day; but as this manner of
filling my pages does not come within my plan, I probably should not
have remarked that the battle was fought here, were it not to relate
an anecdote which I had from good authority.
I noticed, when I first mentioned this place to you, that we
descended a steep before we came to the inn; an immense ridge of
rocks stretching out on one side. The inn was sheltered under them;
and about a hundred yards from it was a bridge that crossed the
river, the murmurs of which I have celebrated; it was not fordable.
The Swedish general received orders to stop at the bridge and
dispute the passage - a most advantageous post for an army so much
inferior in force; but the influence of beauty is not confined to
courts. The mistress of the inn was handsome; when I saw her there
were still some remains of beauty; and, to preserve her house, the
general gave up the only tenable station. He was afterwards broke
for contempt of orders.
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