Destruction of the American Fleet at Penobscot Bay, 14 August 1779

Dominic Serres documented the destruction of the American fleet at Penobscot Bay in August 1779, one of the worst naval disasters in American history. A combined Massachusetts naval and land force was trapped by a smaller British relief fleet, and the Americans were forced to scuttle or burn their own ships. Serres, as Marine Painter to George III, recorded British naval victories as a matter of official record.

Serres depicts the burning American fleet with attention to the specific topography of Penobscot Bay and the positions of the vessels. The smoke and flames against the Maine coastline create a documentary record of the battle enhanced by dramatic atmospheric effects.