Most damningly, Edwards is often accused of excessive callousness towards the prisoners by keeping all of them locked up in the prison cell after the frigate had run aground. Moreover, besides the fact that three prisoners were immediately ordered out of the cell to help the crew man the pumps; while several hours later, after the decision had been made to abandon ship because she could not be saved, it is not certain that Edwards gave orders to release the remaining prisoners. Some saved themselves only because Joseph Hodges, the armourer's mate, knocked off the prisoners irons, but he was not able to complete the job because the ship sank very quickly.