Lord Cochrane's Brig Speedy - Roy Cross RSMA

The Napoleonic wars gave ambitious British commanders ample opportunities to gain fame as well as generous prize money at the expense of their enemies, and none more so than Thomas, Lord Cochrane. This determination to gain fame and fortune became an obsession and led to an astonishing series of daring naval exploits, beginning with his promotion to command the small cutter-hulled 14 gun/brig Speedy.

There followed an astonishing series of adventures during which he claimed to have seized more than 50 vessels including the 32-gun Spanish zebec Gamo off Barcelona in 1801. Captured under another command that same year she is recorded as being renamed Le Saint-Paul and given to the Pope.

Original painting, acrylic on canvas.

Image Size: 22 x 30 inches