Finding that the enemy were about to cannonade the prize, Lieutenant Hancock immediately directed the whole of his prisoners to be ranged three deep along the gangways and quarter-deck, that being the only method by which he could hope to save the lives of his own people; and fortunately it proved successful, as the Danes on shore, seeing their countrymen so exposed, were thereby deterred from firing more than a single shot or two, which passed over her and consequently did no damage.
At the conclusion of the battle Lieutenant Hancock received directions to burn the Holstein; but observing that she was a new ship, and that most of her sails, rigging, and stores were on board, he ventured to disobey those orders by taking upon himself the responsibility of towing her out to the commander-in-chief, near whom he anchored by daylight the following morning[1].
This valuable piece of service does not appear to have been properly appreciated, as no official report of it was made, either by Sir Hyde Parker or Lord Nelson: the former does not even mention the boats in his public letter, and the latter only speaks of them in terms of general approbation. Lieutenant Hancock, however, was perfectly well satisfied when he found himself promoted to the rank of Commander, and appointed to succeed Captain (now Sir James) Brisbane, in the Cruiser, a fine brig mounting 16 thirty-two pounder carronades, and 2 long sixes, with a complement of 120 men.
- ↑ The above orders were conveyed to Lieutenant Hancock by Lord Henry Paulet, then commanding the Defence 74. He not only ventured to disobey them by carrying off the Holstein, but even directed one of Nelson’s own officers, the present Sir William Bolton, who had charge of the Indosforthen block-ship, to cut her adrift also – the latter afterwards sunk alongside of the Ramillies 74, to which ship she had been secured in consequence of having left all her anchors behind. The Holstein, subsequently named the Nassau, wan added to the British navy, and employed as an efficient 64 during the whole of the late war, in the course of which she assisted at the destruction of a Danish third rate. See Vol. I. p. 640.
at the close of the action with nearly 1500 men, it was deemed impracticable to carry into execution the projected plan for storming it: the boats for this service had been on the starboard side of each ship during the action.” See id. p. 272.
