The Battle of Copenhagen (Danish: Slaget på Reden) 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.