The land forces and five hundred seamen, under Captain Freemantle and the Hon.

Colonel Stewart, were to storm the Crown Battery as soon as its fire should be silenced: and Riou--whom Nelson had never seen till this expedition, but whose worth he had instantly perceived, and appreciated as it deserved--had the BLANCHE and ALCMENE frigates, the DART and ARROW sloops, and the ZEPHYR and OTTER fire-ships, given him, with a special command to act as circumstances might require--every other ship had its station appointed.
Between eight and nine, the pilots and masters were ordered on board the admirals' ships.

The pilots were mostly men who had been mates in Baltic traders; and their hesitation about the bearing of the east end of the shoal, and the exact line of deep water, gave ominous warning of how little their knowledge was to be trusted.

The signal for action had been made, the wind was fair--not a moment to be lost.

Nelson urged them to be steady, to be resolute, and to decide; but they wanted the only ground for steadiness and decision in such cases; and Nelson had reason to regret that he had not trusted to Hardy's single report.