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THE AMERIC AN-SC ANDIN A VI AN REVIEW 
bay Dynekilen near Stromstad. He was then put in command of a 
squadron, but several reverses followed. He made brilliant attacks on 
Stromstad and twice on Goteborg, the chief Swedish naval station, but 
was repulsed each time. At Marstrand, on the other hand, he succeeded 
in forcing the surrender of the garrison in the fortress Karlsten, after 
reconnoitering in person disguised as a fisherman. His last exploit 
was at Alvsborg, where he followed the enemy to the very teeth of the 
guns at Goteborg, and recaptured or burned some ships that had been 
taken from him. Shortly afterwards an armistice was declared, and 
some months later, in July, 1720, the peace of Fredriksten was signed. 
Tordenskjold, who had by this time risen to the rank of vice- 
admiral and was high in the favor of the king, could ill brook the idle 
life in Copenhagen and the squabbles of the admiralty. He procured 
leave of absence and went abroad with the idea of proceeding to 
England. In Hannover he picked a quarrel with a Livonian officer 
named Stael, who was accused of having cheated a young Dane at 
cards. Popular adoration of Tordenskjold has not been content with¬ 
out painting his adversary as not only a cheat but a deliberate murderer. 
The truth is, Stael was exonerated, and Tordenskjold regretted his 
mistake, but according to the laws of honor of the time, “satisfaction” 
for the words and blows that had been exchanged had to be given, and 
the duel was fought. Tordenskjold was stabbed to the heart and died 
a few minutes later with the prayer, “God have mercy on my miserable 
soul for Jesu sake!” The date is uncertain but is generally held to 
have been November 20, 1720. 
His body was embalmed and brought to Copenhagen, where it 
now rests in Holmen Church in a black marble sarcophagus with the 
inscription: “Dynekilen—Marstrand—Elfsborg.” An agitation has 
recently been started to move his body to Norway—the country of his 
birth. 
