This heroic stripling had volunteered the command of a sort of raft, called a praam, carrying twenty-four guns, and a hundred and twenty men; on which, having pushed off from shore, in the fury of battle, he got under the stern of his lordship’s ship, below the reach of the stern-chasers, and fired with considerable effect.  The British marines, however, made terrible slaughter among these brave fellows; many of whom were soon killed, but their young commander still remained at his post, surrounded by the slain, till the announcement of the truce.  The crown prince has since presented this youth with a medallion commemorative of his gallantry, and appointed him to the command of the royal yacht in which his royal highness makes his annual visit to Holstein.

On the day following, Lord Nelson addressed the official account of this great victory to Sir Hyde Parker, his commander in chief.

     “Elephant, off Copenhagen,
     3d April 1801.

     “SIR,

“In obedience to your directions, to report the proceedings of the squadron named in the margin—­[the Elephant, Defiance, Monarch, Bellona, Edgar, Russell, Ganges, Glatton, Isis, Agamemnon, Polyphemus, and Ardent, ships of the line; the Amazon, Desiree, Blanche, and Alcmene, frigates; the Dart, Arrow, Cruiser, and Harpy, sloops; the Zephyr, and Otter, fire-ships; the Discovery, Sulphur, Hecla, Explosion, Zebra, Terror, and Volcano, bombs; with eight gun-brigs]—­which you did me the honour to place under my command, I beg leave to inform you that, having by the assistance of that able officer Captain Riou, and the unremitting exertions of Captain Brisbane and the masters of the Amazon and Cruiser in particular, buoyed the channel of the Outer Deep and the position of the Middle Ground, the squadron passed in safety, and anchored off Draco the evening of the 1st:  and that, yesterday morning, I made the signal for the squadron to weigh; and to engage the Danish line, consisting of seven sail of the line, ten floating-batteries mounting from twenty-six twenty-four pounders, to eighteen eighteen pounders, and one bomb-ship, besides schooner gun-vessels.  These were supported by the Crown Islands, mounting eighty-eight cannon; four sail of the line, moored in the harbour’s mouth; and some batteries on the island of Amak.

“The bomb-ship, and schooner gun-vessels, made their escape; the other seventeen sail are sunk, burnt, or taken, being the whole of the Danish line to the southward of the Crown Islands, after a battle of four hours.

“From the very intricate navigation, the Bellona and Russell unfortunately grounded:  but, although not in the situation assigned them, yet so placed as to be of great service.  The Agamemnon could not weather the shoal of the Middle Ground, and was obliged to anchor:  but not the smallest blame can be attached to Captain Fancourt; it was an event to which all the ships were liable.