The Battle of West Kay (Danish and Norwegian: Slaget ved Fugleklippen), also known as the Battle of Fugleklippen, was a naval battle between Denmark–Norway and the United Kingdom. It took place at the Skerry of West Kay (Danish: Fugleklippen), near Saint Thomas and ended in a Danish victory, which would later on have a significant national importance for Denmark.
Up until and including the Napoleonic Wars, privateering was a common aspect of naval warfare in the Caribbean. Denmark–Norway which owned the Danish West Indies, was keen to protect its trade and therefore sent two barques to guard and secure the trade on the islands in the late 18th century. Including in 1793 the HDMSLougen sailed for the islands and later the SchoonersIrisine and Den Aarvaagne also patrolled the islands.
Dano-British tensions
At the end of February 1801, there were rumours of a British mobilization to invade the Danish West Indies. In response to the rumours, Governor-General Casimir Wilhelm von Scholten, sent two ships to gather more information.
Lougen, under Carl Wilhelm Jessen, with Den Aarvaagne under Hans Munch, was ordered to examine the British intentions. Jessen chooses to distance Lougen from Den Aarvaagne, in order for Den Aarvaagne to return to Christiansted and inform the governor, in case of hostilities.
Action
Prelude
When Lougen was near the uninhabited skerry of West Kay, presumably west of St. Thomas, two British ships, namely HMS Experiment and HMS Arab, were approaching. Jessen could without problem have reached Charlotte Amalie, but instead stuck to his mission of investigating the British and came in for firing range of the British vessels Arab under captain John Perkins shot three direct shots at Lougen. In response, Jessen asked the reason behind the shots, and when he did not get any answer from Arab, he countered by shooting a sharp shot under Arab's Union Jack. Arab replied by firing a whole Broadside at Lougen, which signaled the start of the confrontation.
Battle
Experiment thereafter shot Lougen, and Lougen was therefore attacked by two sides The Danish ship was heavily focused on the maneuver in order for the British not to board Lougen, and cannons from the afterdeck was installed to fire against the British. Despite the shelling, Jessen managed to order Den Aarvaagne to return to Christiansted and inform the general-governor. The attacked Lougen sailed to the coast of St. Thomas for the protection of Coastal artillery. When the coastal artillery shot at Arab, it retreated to Tortola and the now alone, Experiment instead pursued Den Aarvaagne which were on its way to St. Croix. Jessen quickly followed Experiment and surrounded by artillery from both sea and land, Experiment retreated from battle.
The Danish brig lost one member of its crew and three were wounded, and Lougen was damaged on several fronts. The British had suffered a bigger loss with eight dead and ten wounded.
^ Flor, Christian (1860). Haandbog i den danske literatur [Handbook in the Danish literature] (in Danish). Copenhagen: Forlaget Gyldendal. p. 591.
^ Nielse, Per (1997). FLADEN OG DANSK VESTINDIEN [The Fleet and the West Indies] (PDF) (in Danish). Forlaget Marinehistoriske Skrifter and Dansk Vestindisk Selskab. pp. 18–20.
^ Schou, Rolf (1933). Lougen Orlogsman og Koffardimann (in Norwegian). Oslo: Norsk Sjøfartsmuseum.
^Garde, H.G (1852). Den Dansk-norske Sømagts Historie 1700-1814 [The Dano-Norwegian Naval power's History 1700-1814] (in Danish). Copenhagen: forlaget J. H. Schubothes Boghandling.
^Jungersen, Kay (1945). Danmarks Søkrigshistorie [Denmarks Naval War History] (in Danish). Copenhagen: Søofficersskolens foranstaltning.
