"If I were to make all my brave
officers admirals," was the reply, "I should have no captains or
lieutenants left."

The terrific nature of the British fire, as well as the stubbornness of
Danish courage, may be judged from the fact that most of the prizes
taken in the fight were so absolutely riddled with shot as to have to
be destroyed. Foley, who led the van at the battle of the Nile, was
Nelson's flag-captain in the _Elephant_, and he declared he burned
fifty more barrels of powder in the four hours' furious cannonade at
Copenhagen than he did during the long night struggle at the Nile! The
fire of the Danes, it may be added, was almost as obstinate and deadly.
The _Monarch_, for example, had no fewer than 210 of its crew lying
dead or wounded on its decks. At one o'clock Sir Hyde Parker, who was
watching the struggle with a squadron of eight of his heaviest ships
from the offing, hoisted a signal to discontinue the engagement. Then
came the incident which every boy remembers.

The signal-lieutenant of the _Elephant_ reported that the admiral had
thrown out No. 39, the signal to discontinue the fight. Nelson was
pacing his quarterdeck fiercely, and took no notice of the report. The
signal-officer met him at the next turn, and asked if he should repeat
the signal. Nelson's reply was to ask if his own signal for close
action was still hoisted. "Yes," said the officer. "Mind you keep it
so," said Nelson. Nelson continued to tramp his quarter-deck, the
thunder of the battle all about him, his ship reeling to the recoil of
its own guns. The stump of his lost arm jerked angrily to and fro, a
sure sign of excitement with him. "Leave off action!" he said to his
lieutenant; "I'm hanged if I do." "You know, Foley," he said, turning
to his captain, "I've only one eye; I've a right to be blind
sometimes." And then putting the glass to his blind eye, he exclaimed,
"I really do not see the signal!" He dismissed the incident by saying,
"D---- the signal! Keep mine for closer action flying!"

As a matter of fact, Parker had hoisted the signal only to give Nelson
the opportunity for withdrawing from the fight if he wished. The
signal had one disastrous result--the little cluster of frigates and
sloops engaged with the Three-Crown Batteries obeyed it and hauled off.
As the Amazon, Riou's ship, ceased to fire, the smoke lifted, and the
Danish battery got her in full sight, and smote her with deadly effect.
Riou h