Action with the Venus Capt. Jonathan Faulknor, 1793

Pencil sketch of a naval engagement. Inscribed beneath the image, ‘1793. Capt. Ed. Pellew in La Nymph of 36 Guns with the Venus Capt. Jonathan Faulknor sailed from Spithead on the 19th May. On the 25th they separated, on the 27th the Venus fell in with the Proserpine French Frigate of 38 Guns and Engaged her from 8 to 11 A.M. when she was totally silenced and disabled, at that moment the Cleopatra F. Frigate (afterwards taken by Sir E. Pellew) hove in sight when on signals made the Proserpine bore down for her and the Venus was too much disabled in the action to attempt to follow her having 2 men killed and 20 wounded, & having no marines and only 3 Petty Officers on the Qr. Deck besides being 20 men short of compliment.’

This inscription repeats a misidentification that appears in the British press at the time. The ‘Venus’ engaged the frigate ‘Sémillante’, 32 guns, under the command of Captain Jacques Marie Dominique Gaillard de la Touche, not the ‘Proserpine’.

Mounted with PAF0002.; Bound with PAF0001-PAF0002, PAF0004-PAF0022.