The
Battle of Copenhagen was an engagement which saw a
British fleet under the command of
Admiral Sir Hyde Parker fight a huge
Danish fleet anchored just off
Copenhagen on 2 April 1801. Vice Admiral
Horatio Nelson led the main attack. He famously is reputed to have disobeyed Sir Hyde Parker's order to withdraw by holding the telescope to his blind eye to look at the signals from Parker. Parker's signals had given Nelson permission to withdraw at his discretion, yet he declined. Copenhagen is often considered to be Nelson's hardest-fought victory, with the Danes offering a very stubborn resistance.