English: The 'Spartan's' engagement with a Neapolitan squadron, 3 May 1810: end of the action

The second of a pair of paintings showing an action between the British ship 'Spartan' and Neapolitan and French squadron in the Bay of Naples (see also BHC0594). On 1 May 1810, the British frigates 'Spartan', 38 guns, and 'Success', 32 guns, while cruising off Ischia, chased a Neapolitan squadron almost inside the mole at Naples. This Neapolitan squadron consisted of the frigates 'Cerere', 40 guns, under Captain Ramatuelle, the 'Fama', 30 guns, Captain Guiseppe de Cosa,, the 8-gun brig 'Sparviero' and 8-gun cutter 'Achille'.

'Spartan's' commander, Captain Jahleel Brenton, assumed that the Neapolitan ships would not come out to fight two British frigates and so, on 2 May, he sent the 'Success' off to a rendezvous south of Capri. However, the enemy had decided to fight and had embarked 400 Swiss troops into the 'Cerere', and 'Fama'. When 'Spartan' approached Naples early on the 3 May, the enemy squadron sailed out to meet him, supported by seven gunboats, each with a long 18-pounder. In the two-hour action that followed, the 'Cerere' and 'Fama' both hauled off, the latter badly damaged, while the 'Sparviero' under Commander Raffaele de Cosa was forced to strike. Captain Brenton, conducted the fight standing on the capstan and was badly wounded when he was hit in the hip by a piece of grapeshot. His first lieutenant, George Willes, then assumed command and was also wounded together with 20 others. Ten more British were killed. The Neapolitans fought with gallantry, having 131 killed or wounded, but the outcome was none the less a remarkable British success. 'Spartan' alone, with a crew of 259 and 46 guns (including subsidiary armament), had defeated a squadron headed by two frigates and armed in total with 95 guns and a complement of 1400 men. Brenton, whose injury ended his active career, received a baronetcy in December 1810.

The 'Spartan' is shown here in port broadside on the left, after the action. Men are visible in the rigging attending to the damaged sails. There is a small ship's boat alongside with other figures on board. The vessel astern in the centre, with the broken mast, is the captured Neapolitan brig 'Sparviero', 8 guns, and now flies the British flag. Other ships of the defeated Neapolitan squadron can be seen in the background on the right, with Naples beyond.

Whitcombe was born in London in about 1752 and painted ship portraits, battle scenes, harbour views and ships in storms. Although his output was vast, little is known about him. He produced a large number of subjects from the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, 1793-1815, and exhibited at the Royal Academy between 1783 and 1824. His depiction of ships implies specific knowledge of life at sea, although he probably spent most of his career in London. Many of his works were engraved and they included 50 plates to James Jenkins's account of 'The Naval Achievements of Great Britain', published in 1817.

Whitcombe exhibited a picture of the 'Spartan' action at the Royal Academy in 1812, probably the pair to this one (BHC0594) or a version of it. This painting is signed and dated 'Thos Whitcombe 1810'.

The 'Spartan's' engagement with a Neapolitan squadron, 3 May 1810: end of the action