Sir J. T. Duckworth's Action off St. Domingo, Feby 6th. 1806

A hand-coloured engraving depicting the 'Acasta', right foreground, and the 'Magicienne', left of centre, in the Action of St Domingo on 6 February 1806, as part of a squadron commanded by Admiral Sir John Duckworth. The action depicted occurred twenty-five years after the ‘Magicienne’, formerly a French ship, was captured by the British in 1781, and commissioned into the Royal Navy. Both vessels are depicted flying the white ensign. Two French ships are ablaze in the background – the 136-gun ‘L’Imperiale’ (Shown in far-left background) and the 84-gun ‘Le Diomede’ (shown right of centre, between the ‘Acasta’ and ‘Magicienne’). Both these ships had been driven ashore by the British squadron, and after being deemed unsalvageable were set ablaze. Lifeboats can be seen close to both ships, along with a smaller vessel sinking close to the left of ‘Le Diomede’. The coastline provides a general background.

Object Details

ID: PAD5760
Type: Print
Display location: Not on display
Creator: Sutherland, Thomas; Whitcombe, Thomas
Places: Unlinked place
Events: Napoleonic Wars: Duckworth's action off San Domingo, 1806
Vessels: Acasta (1797); Magicienne 1781 [British navy] Magicienne (1778) L'Imperiale (1803) Le Diomede (1799)
Date made: 1 Feb 1817
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London
Measurements: Mount: 214 mm x 300 mm