Sir Hyde Parker

Sir Hyde Parker 1739-1807, British admiral. In the American Revolution he broke (1776) the defenses of the Hudson River at New York City—an exploit for which he was knighted in 1779. He later held commands in the Mediterranean, Jamaica, and the North Sea in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars. Horatio Nelson was Parker's second in command at the great victory of Copenhagen (1801); his failure to observe Parker's signal to cease fighting is a famous incident in naval history. Nelson soon replaced Parker.

Copenhagen, First Battle of (1801) A naval engagement between the British and Danish fleets. The northern powers (Russia, Prussia, Denmark, and Sweden) formed a league of armed neutrality to resist the British right of search at sea. Without declaring war, a British fleet, commanded by Admiral Sir Hyde Parker, was sent to destroy the Danish fleet, anchored in Copenhagen. The British divided their fleet, NELSON attacking the Danes from the more protected south whilst Parker attacked from the north. Despite bad weather and the loss of three ships Nelson, ignoring Parker's signal to discontinue action by fixing the telescope to his blind eye, was able to sink or take all but three of the Danish ships. The Danes agreed to an armistice and the league was disbanded.