impending evil; and the spirited and glorious conduct of these misguided men, in the subsequent action with the Dutch fleet, an account of which will be found in our memoir of Admiral Sir Henry Trollope, completely wiped away the disgrace incurred by their late proceedings.
Subsequently to the battle of the 11th October, our officer enjoyed a separate command on the coast of Ireland; after which he served in the Channel Fleet, and on the Mediterranean station, under Lords St. Vincent, Bridport, and Keith. In August, 1799, Captain Knight returned from the latter station, and for some time commanded the advanced squadron before Brest. On this service the Montagu’s boats made more than one successful attack on the enemy’s coasting vessels[1].
January 1st, 1801, Captain Knight was advanced to the rank of Rear-Admiral of the Blue; but did not serve again during the remainder of the war.
In the month of April 1805, the Rear-Admiral’s flag was flying on board the Queen, of 98 guns, under orders for the Mediterranean; and in the summer of that year he succeeded to the command at Gibraltar, on the resignation of Sir Richard Bickerton; and hoisted his flag on board the Guerrier guard-ship, at that place.
Our officer was promoted to the rank of Vice-Admiral,
- ↑ See Captain G. W. H. Knight, in our next volume.
ordered to suffer death accordingly, at such time and place as the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, or any three of them, shall appoint.” On the 29th June, Parker was executed on board the Sandwich; he died very penitent and with great composure; acknowledging the justice of the sentence under which he suffered, and expressing a hope that his death might he deemed a sufficient atonement, and save the lives of others. He solemnly denied having the least connection or correspondence with any disaffected persons onshore, and declared, that it was chiefly owing to him that the ships had not been carried into an enemy’s port. The Court-Martial continued sitting and trying the other mutineers, more than a month, during which time a great number received sentence of death; several were flogged through the fleet, and others imprisoned in the Marshalsea. Many of the ringleaders were executed; a considerable number remained under sentence, confined on board the prison-ship in the river Thames; but on the signal victory obtained by Admiral Duncan over the Dutch fleet, on the 11th Oct., the King sent a general pardon to these unhappy men.
