"A Sketch of the Action of the 3rd of May 1810". The Spartan, Engaging a French squadron in the Bay of Naples, May 3rd, 1810.

Watercolour on paper, 22 x 47cm. Framed size 25 x 51cm.

Titled lower centre. Signed “By Sir Jah Brenton”. 1810

A Scarce Contemporary Watercolour of the Action against a French Squadron.

Vice Admiral Sir Jaheel Brenton, British officer in the Royal Navy who served during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. He had a long and distinguished career and eventually earned the rank of Vice Admiral. In “The Action of May 3rd” Brenton served as the captain of “Spartan”. ‘The Spartan’, with a crew of 259 and 46 guns, defeated a squadron headed by two frigates and armed in total with 95 guns and a complement of 1400 men.

While he was ultimately victorious, he suffered a severe wound to his hip, essentially ending his career. He received a baronetcy in December 1810.

After suffering the loss of their property in the insurrection of the American colonies the family emigrated back to England where Jahleel and his two brothers joined their father in the navy. Jahleel, the eldest child, went to sea first with his father in 1781 and on the return of peace was sent to the maritime school at Chelsea. Promoted to lieutenant but seeing no chance of employment he first served in the Swedish navy against the Russians. In 1790 he received his commission and returned home. Till 1799 he served as lieutenant, or acting commander, mostly under Earl St Vincent, and was present in the battle from which the admiral received his title. As commander of the brig Speedy he won much distinction in actions with Spanish gunboats in the Straits of Gibraltar. In 1800 he was promoted to post-captain followed by the rank of flag-captain to Sir James Saumarez. After commanding a succession of frigates in 1803 he had the misfortune to be wrecked on the coast of France where he remained imprisoned until released in an exchange. He was created a baronet in 1812 and KCB in 1815 but was unable to bear sea service again following a serious injury sustained during an engagement with a flotilla of Franco Neapolitan vessels off Naples in 1810. He became commissioner of the dockyard at Port Mahon, and then at the Cape. Reaching flag rank in 1830 he became lieutenant governor of Greenwich hospital until retiring in 1840.