Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall v1p1.djvu/398

368 however, unsupported for a considerable time; when within range of the Provestein of 56 guns, she was fired at, but returned not a shot until she was nearly opposite to the number which was destined to her by the instructions; she then poured in her broadsides with great effect. The Polyphemus was followed by the Isis, Bellona, and Russel, commanded by the Captains Walker, Thompson, and Cuming; the former took her station most gallantly, and had the severest birth this day, of any ship, the Monarch alone excepted; but the Bellona and Russel, in going down the channel, kept too close on the starboard shoal, and ran aground; they were, however, within range of shot, and continued to fire with much spirit upon such of the enemy’s ships as they could reach. The Elephant and the remainder of the line-of-battle ships, consisting of the Defiance, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Graves; Ganges, Captain Freemantle; Monarch, Captain Mosse; Ardent, Captain Bertie; and Glatton, Captain Nowell, got into the stations assigned to them without any accident.

The action began at five minutes past ten. In about half an hour afterwards, the first half of the British squadron was engaged, and before half past eleven the battle became general. The Elephant’s station was in the centre, opposite to the Danish Commodore, who commanded in the Dannebrog, of 62 guns [Commodore Fischer afterwards shifted his broad pendant to the Holstein, and subsequently, about two o’clock, to the battery of the Three Crowns.]. The Glatton was placed immediately astern of the Elephant; the Ganges, Monarch, and Defiance, a-head, the distance between each not exceeding half a cable. The judgment with which each ship calculated her station in that intricate channel was admirable throughout. The failure of the three ships that were aground, and whose force was to have been opposed to the Trekroner battery, left this day, as glorious for seamanship as for courage, incomplete. The gallant Riou, perceiving the blank in the original plan for the attack of the Crown battery, proceeded down the line with his squadron of frigates, and attempted, but in vain, to fulfil the duty of the absent ships of the line; his force was unequal to it, and the general signal of recal, which was made about one P.M. by Sir Hyde Parker, had the good effect at least of saving the ships under that officer’s directions from destruction.

This remarkable signal was only acknowledged on board of the Elephant, not repeated. Rear-Admiral Graves did the latter, not being able to distinguish Lord Nelson’s conduct on the occasion. About this time few if any of the enemy’s heavy ships and praams had ceased to fire. The Isis had greatly suffered by the superior weight of the Provestein’s fire; and if it had not been for the judicious diversion of it by the Désirée frigate, after the victory at Copenhagen. The Elephant was soon after put out of commission.

