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436:) and honoured with an appointment as Gentleman-in-waiting to the Danish Court. Diplomacy was high on his agenda (he became the ambassador to Morocco), to protect Danish convoys and to negotiate with the British naval forces and avoid conflict when these forces demanded inspection rights whilst maintaining Denmark-Norway's policy of armed neutrality. Bille was recalled from the Mediterranean early in 1801, just as war was about to break out again between Tunis and Denmark-Norway.
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359:, Norway and the East Indies he returned successful, but had suffered many fatalities among his crew. On the outward voyage, scurvy had broken out and not one seaman was fit for duty by the time he reached Cape Town. There Bille also broke an arm, which was not set properly and which gave him problems for the rest of his life. Arriving in Bengal, he sent his second officer home in disgrace, for embezzlement.
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509:) to launch what would be a suicide attack with all available weapons. He is quoted (in translation) as saying "I foresaw that my suggestion would achieve nothing other than my own and my naval warriors honourable deaths. In the meantime we could have won enough time that the Fleet might have been destroyed at its anchorage." On 9 October 1809 Bille was promoted to rear admiral.
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Steen
Andersen Bille was born on 22 August 1751 in Assens, on the Funen coast of the Little Belt, where his father Rear Admiral Daniel Ernst Bille was then stationed. Steen Andersen Bille became a cadet at the age of eleven, despite being of poor physique, having already experienced a trial voyage in
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He married
Frederikke Vilhelmine Charlotte Bornemann on 6 December 1790. She was the youngest daughter of Vilhelm Hansen Bornemann (1731-1801) and Talche (Thalia) Storm /1738-1779). His wife bore him four children, Thalia Amalia Bille (1792-1820), Sophie Steensdatter Bille (1794–97), Ernst Wilhelm
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In the spring of 1797, whilst most of Europe was at war, neutral
Denmark-Norway had expanded its trade in the Mediterranean and it was necessary for the country's interests to protect this. The Moors had until now been appeased with annual gifts of tribute, but Tripoli now declared war on Denmark,
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when storms and contrary winds held the ship in the Baltic for so long that it was feared the ship would founder – prayers were said in churches around the land for the ship's safety (to good effect, seemingly). As one of the most able cadets of his year, he was promoted to Junior
Lieutenant on 16
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For a few years after his return, Bille was in poor health and without a command. During this time he traveled privately to
Germany and Paris. Then he received a few commands and at the age of 38 he was promoted to Captain on 6 March 1789. He became flag captain to Admiral von Schindel in
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After the
British captured the entire Danish fleet, Bille was central in organising gunboat patrols to engage British naval elements in the Baltic, and corresponded with many of the naval officers involved. In 1811 he received the Grand Cross of the Order of the Dannebrog for his efforts.
533:, it was Bille who led the attempts to establish a Danish navy and with careful financial management establish a reserve fund for the naval service. In 1825 he was promoted to vice admiral, and on 1 August 1829 to full admiral. In 1831 Bille was appointed to the Danish Privy Council.
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In 1777 he was posted to the Danish West Indies (DWI) for two years where he became close friends with the
Governor General Peter Clausen and two future Governors, Ernst Walterstorff and Peter Oxholm. On his return to Denmark he became second-in-command of the frigate
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The ensuing peace treaty was favourable to the Danes, and Bille's squadron continued to provide naval cover for all Danish merchant ships in the
Mediterranean. Bille himself was promoted on New Years Day 1798 to senior captain
340:, which returned almost immediately to the DWI. Sixty of the crew, including Bille, became sick and were left on St Thomas as the ship escorted a convoy to Guadeloupe. On the way the convoy encountered three British
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came north with his five ships-of-the-line and three of them ran aground. The
British having negotiated a ceasefire after their victory over the Danes, refloated their ships and withdrew.
452:(The Customs House), Major General Heinrich Ernst Peymann says goodbye to Vice Admiral Steen Andersen Bille, who is heading out for an attack on the British Navy on 17 August 1807.
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and a large contingent of gunboats – none of which saw serious action that day. After the battle had been raging on the southern end for close on four hours, the
British
491:), Bille became deputy in the Admiralty College. He also held positions on the African Consulate Commission, the Quarantine Commission and the Naval Defence Commission.
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T. A. Topsøe-Jensen og Emil Marquard (1935) "Officerer i den dansk-norske Søetat 1660–1814 og den danske Søetat 1814–1932" (Danish Naval Officers).
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Bille was promoted to Commander on 18 October 1781 and he was immediately permitted to go on a trading voyage in the Danish East Indiaman
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After war flared with Britain again in 1807, Bille was named as commander of Danish-Norwegian naval defence under the overall command of
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in 1795, he earned his students' undying loyalty by allowing them to eat all they wanted each day. In a test in 1796, racing the old
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became unavoidable. Preparations to sink or burn the Danish fleet at anchor were made, but the expected orders were never received.
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At the capitulation on 7 September 1807, Bille refused to append his signature and sought permission from the crown prince (later
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and all the merchant vessels Bille was escorting were captured. his upset Bille for a long time afterwards, despite his
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On 22 March 1773 he was promoted to Senior Lieutenant. In 1775 he had an independent armed command in the merchant ship
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was always the victor. That same year, Bille was flag captain in the squadron of Vice-Admiral F C Kaas.
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The Gunboat War was part of the Napoleonic Wars, which the Danes refer to as the English Wars.
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family. He rose to the rank of admiral and became a Privy Counselor during the period of
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With, C. (1887–1905). "Bille, Steen Andersen, 1751–1833". In Bricka, C.F. (ed.).
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Compare this with the actual actions of 29 August 1943 in the same harbour. See
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preventing smuggling to enforce control measures against an outbreak of
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Bille was given the task of solving the situation and he set sail in
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March 1768, serving then, and again in 1773, in the ship-of-the-line
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Drawing of a 12-pound canon created by Bille as a cadet (scale 1:12).
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were waiting. These ships proceeded to Tripoli harbour where, on
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554:(1797-1883) who became a vice admiral in the Royal Danish Navy.
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On return to Denmark in 1801, Bille was again in action in the
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Additional material from Topsøe-Jensen Vol I pages 130 – 133
275:(1751–1833) was a Danish naval officer and a member of the
725:. Vol. 2 (1st ed.). Gyldendal. pp. 246–251.
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On 28 December 1804, with further promotion to commodore (
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For other members of this extensive sea-going family, see
577:(1802, unknown number). In 1803, he bought half of the
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Steen Andersen Bille's grave at the Cemetery of Holmen
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565:In 1795–1797, Bille lived in an apartment at
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221:Grand Cross of the Order of the Dannebrog
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266:Rear Admiral Daniel Ernst Bille (Father)
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327:(Cattle Plague) in Schleswig Holstein.
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168:Admiral and Privy Counsellor
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545:Frederikke Vilhelmine Bille
190:War of the Second Coalition
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794:Burials at Holmen Cemetery
500:capitulation of Copenhagen
482:Rear Admiral Thomas Graves
331:The Indies – West and East
255:4, including Vice Admiral
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180:French Revolutionary Wars
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32:Steen Andersen Bille
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16:Danish Naval Officer
688:"Bipøæsregister: B"
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692:indenforvoldene.dk
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745:at geni.com
694:(in Danish)
426:16 May 1797
405:Providentia
314:Norske Løve
285:Gunboat War
202:Gunboat War
117:(1814-1833)
753:Categories
710:References
591:Amaliegade
390:, Bille's
353:Copenhagen
342:privateers
325:Rinderpest
309:Hvide Ørns
291:Early life
93:Allegiance
53:1751-08-22
698:2 January
657:Citations
647:Scuttling
624:Footnotes
575:Østergade
489:Kommandør
466:Trekroner
450:Toldboden
321:Mercurius
263:Relations
226:Spouse(s)
160:1762–1833
66:, Denmark
583:Bredgade
478:Nidelven
472:, brigs
392:Cronborg
382:Cronborg
371:Havfruen
338:Bornholm
252:Children
122:Service/
462:Danmark
412:Najaden
387:Najaden
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218:Awards
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60:Assens
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277:Bille
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64:Funen
700:2020
476:and
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