result in the subordinate's promotion. This was clearly Farquhar's intent. That same day the Admiralty promoted Kneeshaw to Commander and re-rated Piercer as a sloop, congruent with his rank. On 15 July 1816 there was a first payment of £5000 in prize money to the navy for the capitulation of Glückstadt. The hired armed cutter Princess Augusta, shared in the prize money. In appreciation of this operation the Swedish government awarded Kneeshaw, amongst others, a gold medal. In 1847, the Admiralty awarded the Naval General Service Medal with clasp "Gluckstadt 5 Jany. 1814" to all surviving claimants from the action. Transferred to Hanover On 4 June 1814, George III's birthday, Piercer was transferred in an official ceremony to the Kingdom of Hanover, following an Admiralty Order of 29 March. (The Kingdom of Hanover represented the restoration to George III of his Hanoverian territories after the Napoleonic Wars.) The Hanoverians appointed Joachim Deetjen as captain of Piercer, and he remained her captain, and commander of the customs service, until his death in 1827. Piercer thus became the only warship in the rather short history of the newly created kingdom (1814 – 1866) and she served as a customs guard ship on the river Elbe with Stade as her homeport.> Deetjen's successor was Major Carl August Delius, who had served with the British at the Battle of Talavera, where he had lost an arm. He died in 1833 and on 22 November lieutenant colonel Andreas Schlüter became the last commander of the Elbe customs service. Although Piercer was initially suitable as a customs vessel, she and the other sailing vessels could not cope as steamships replaced sail. In 1850 the King ordered Piercer to be laid up, and on 20 October Schlüter tendered his resignation. Fate She was decommissioned in 1850 without replacement. Notes, citations, and references Notes Citations References Graewe, Richard (1963) Die zweihundertjährige Geschichte der Elb-Zoll-Fregatte zu Brunshausen und ihrer Kommandanten 1650-1850; Selbstverlag des Stader Geschichts- und Heimatvereins. Stade (German) External links Naval Database - HMS Piercer Brig-sloops of the Royal Navy 1804 ships Kingdom of Hanover Ships built on the River Exe Maritime incidents in 1809 Shipwrecks of Sweden