AtthebattleofCopenhagenbetweenBritainandDenmarkin1801,eachoftheBritishshipscarriedadetachmentofsoldiers.Duringthenavalbattletherewasnothingforthesementodoandtheyweregenerallykeptbelowdecksforsafety.OnboardtheBellona,however,thearmycommandershowedatotallackofconcernforhismen.Hewastoldthathismencouldbeofnouse,thattheywerenotnearenoughformusketryandwerenotwantedattheguns.Theyhadthereforebettergobelow.This,hesaid,wasimpossible.Itwouldbeadisgracethatcouldneverbewipedaway.Theywere,therefore,drawnupuponthegangwaytosatisfythiscruelpointofhonourandtherewithoutthepossibilityofannoyingtheenemytheyweremowndown.
一八○一年，英國和丹麥在哥本哈根交戰。英國每艘軍艦都有一隊陸軍，海戰時無用武之地，一般藏身甲板下以免傷亡。但是，貝朗納號上那隊陸軍的司令官對部屬生死卻漠不關心。海軍告訴他說，他手下不能派上用場，因為毛瑟槍射程不夠遠，而開砲也用不着他們，最好藏身甲板下。那司令官卻一口拒絕，說那會是抹不去的恥辱。他要士兵在步橋上排開，為那殘酷的榮譽感站着挨打，死者枕藉，對敵人卻沒有絲毫威脅。
【附注】拿破崙戰爭期間，丹麥為保持海道暢通，和英國開戰，敗績。Mow是「割草」，mowdown常用來說殺死大批人，例如：Thetanksmowed/mowndownthepeacefuldemonstrators（坦克車如剪草般殲滅大批和平示威者）。