Capture of the La Nereide, Dec 21st, 1797

The Nereide was a Sybille class 32-gun, copper-hulled, frigate of the French Navy. She was sailing off the Isles of Scilly under the command of Lieutenant de Vaisseau Chasseriau when she encountered HMS Phoebe. After exchanging broadsides with Phoebe for about an hour and a half, Nereide struck. She had suffered 20 killed and 55 wounded; Phoebe had suffered three men killed and 10 wounded. Although the French vessel had a larger crew, she had a substantially smaller broadside and that told. She entered into British service as HMS Nereide. Thomas Whitcombe (1760-1824) was a marine painter whose works are in several English collections, in particular the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich. Engraving from 'The Naval Achievements of Great Britain' by James Jenkins. Acid-free double mount.