British victory The Battle of Lyngør was a naval action fought between Denmark-Norway and the United Kingdom in 1812 on the southern coast of Norway.

Denmark-Norway's attempt to remain neutral in the struggle between France and the United Kingdom and their respective allies early in the 19th century came to an end after the United Kingdom's pre-emptive naval actions of 1807, in which the entire Danish fleet was captured, the British operating under the possibility that Denmark-Norway was planning to join the Napoleonic Wars on the side of the French.

The British imposed a blockade on supply lines between Norway and Denmark in the Skagerrak sound, except for Norwegian ships transporting lumber bound for Britain.

After years of skirmishes, the Dano-Norwegian fleet was reduced to one major ship, the frigate Najaden, which they had finished constructing in 1811 with material salvaged from a ship-of-the-line destroyed in earlier battles.

Captain Steward's plan was to chase down Najaden and sink it, thereby giving Britain total control over the trade routes across the Skagerrak between Norway and Denmark, and effectively ending Danish involvement in the Napoleonic Wars.

Lastly, the battery at Digernes (on the seaward side of Borøya island, which is three miles southwest of Lyngør), also fired on the two British brigs.

[4] Najaden went into the narrow sound of Lyngør where she anchored between Holmen and Odden, detaching most of her supporting vessels to fight Podargus and Flamer.

Dictator proceeded to bombard the two Danish brigs anchored nearby, causing them to lower their colours and surrender at 21:47 pm.

At 01:00 am, all the Norwegian gunboats nearby had made it into the sound and entered battle, forcing the British to abandon the captured Danish brigs.

Dictator and Calypso set sail, exited Svalsund and headed east under constant fire from the gunboats.

In 1847 the surviving British participants were authorized to apply for the clasp "Off Mardoe 6 July 1812" to the Naval General Service Medal.

The battle also freed up British naval resources to continue fighting the French navy in the Napoleonic Wars.