.jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
Captain Jahleel Brenton (1770-1844), commander of H.M.S. Spartan, had strong American connections. His maternal grandfather, Samuel Cranstoun, was the 18th Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations from 1698 to 1727, serving as Governor longer than anyone else. His father, Rear-Admiral Jahleel Brenton (1729-1802) was of an established New England family who married an heiress at Trinity Church, Newport, Rhode Island in 1765. He was a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy when the War of American Independence started; he chose the Loyalist side in the war and emigrated with his family to England in 1780, losing most of his property in North America.
Jahleel Brenton, Jun. was born in Rhode Island and, after serving briefly with the Swedish Navy, joined the Royal Navy and was made Lieutenant in 1790. Promoted Captain in 1800, he was captured by the French when his ship grounded outside Cherbourg in 1803 and remained a prisoner-of-war until the end of 1806, after which he served in the Mediterranean until 1810. Created Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in 1812, he was appointed Commissioner of Port Mahon dockyard in January 1814 but transferred to Cape Town in the autumn of the same year where he remained until late 1821. He was promoted Rear-Admiral in 1830, Vice-Admiral in 1840 and his last appointment was as Lieut.-Governor of Greenwich Hospital from 1831.
H.M.S. Spartan was a 38-gun frigate, launched at Rochester, Kent in 1806, which saw much active service in the Mediterranean. In the battle depicted here Brenton in the Spartan, accompanied by H.M.S. Success (32-gun) had chased a French squadron consisting of the frigates Cérès (42-gun) and Fame (28-gun), and the brig Achilles (10-gun) and cutter Sparvière (8-gun) into Naples where they took refuge behind the mole. To encourage the French to come out again Brenton sent Success away while he remained in the Bay of Naples. At daylight on 3rd May 1810 the French squadron, reinforced by eight gunboats, stood out into the bay in a close line. The frigates exchanged broadsides at pistol shot before Brenton succeeded in cutting off the cutter and gunboats from the rest of the squadron. Brenton skilfully manoeuvred Spartan onto the weather beam of the French ships and raked them as they tried to wear, and they retreated under the protection of the batteries of a fort. Spartan's sails and masts were crippled and she was unable to pursue her enemies but the Sparvière was captured. The enemy mustered about 1,100 men of whom they admitted losing 30 killed and 90 wounded apart from those in the brig. Spartan lost 10 killed and twenty-two were wounded including Brenton who was severely wounded by a grape shot which struck him on the hip.
He was succeeded in command by his brother, Captain Edward Pelham Brenton, in September 1810, who sailed her to Halifax for Spartan's busy part in the War of 1812. However, Edward is best known for his books, Naval History of Great Britain from the Year 1783 to 1822 and The Life and Correspondence of John, Earl of St Vincent.
The Patriotic Fund of Lloyd's voted Jahleel Brenton a sword valued at 100 guineas, the last sword so presented, and the King of the Two Sicilies presented him with the Grand Cross of the Order of St. Ferdinand and of Merit.
Spartan, after peacetime service on the North America station was broken up at Plymouth in 1822.
This is the original of plate number 36 in J. Ralfe's Naval Chronology of Great Britain, 1803-1816. The engraved plate is inscribed at the top 'From a drawing by Sir J. Brenton'.
Jahleel Brenton, Jun. was born in Rhode Island and, after serving briefly with the Swedish Navy, joined the Royal Navy and was made Lieutenant in 1790. Promoted Captain in 1800, he was captured by the French when his ship grounded outside Cherbourg in 1803 and remained a prisoner-of-war until the end of 1806, after which he served in the Mediterranean until 1810. Created Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in 1812, he was appointed Commissioner of Port Mahon dockyard in January 1814 but transferred to Cape Town in the autumn of the same year where he remained until late 1821. He was promoted Rear-Admiral in 1830, Vice-Admiral in 1840 and his last appointment was as Lieut.-Governor of Greenwich Hospital from 1831.
H.M.S. Spartan was a 38-gun frigate, launched at Rochester, Kent in 1806, which saw much active service in the Mediterranean. In the battle depicted here Brenton in the Spartan, accompanied by H.M.S. Success (32-gun) had chased a French squadron consisting of the frigates Cérès (42-gun) and Fame (28-gun), and the brig Achilles (10-gun) and cutter Sparvière (8-gun) into Naples where they took refuge behind the mole. To encourage the French to come out again Brenton sent Success away while he remained in the Bay of Naples. At daylight on 3
He was succeeded in command by his brother, Captain Edward Pelham Brenton, in September 1810, who sailed her to Halifax for Spartan's busy part in the War of 1812. However, Edward is best known for his books, Naval History of Great Britain from the Year 1783 to 1822 and The Life and Correspondence of John, Earl of St Vincent.
The Patriotic Fund of Lloyd's voted Jahleel Brenton a sword valued at 100 guineas, the last sword so presented, and the King of the Two Sicilies presented him with the Grand Cross of the Order of St. Ferdinand and of Merit.
Spartan, after peacetime service on the North America station was broken up at Plymouth in 1822.
This is the original of plate number 36 in J. Ralfe's Naval Chronology of Great Britain, 1803-1816. The engraved plate is inscribed at the top 'From a drawing by Sir J. Brenton'.