A representation of a battle during the War of American Independence, 1775-83. Cape St Vincent is on the south coast of Portugal and the site of several important naval actions, including this battle. Sir George Rodney was appointed flag officer in the Leeward Island in the autumn of 1779 and it was decided that on his way out he would convoy supplies to beleaguered Gibraltar and to Minorca. For this purpose, his squadron was increased to include 22 sail of the line and 14 frigates. This convoy sailed from Plymouth on 29 December and on 16 January a Spanish convoy of 22 ships was sighted, west of Cape Finisterre. They were heading for their home port of Cadiz, 100 miles to the south. This valuable convoy, which included a 64-gun ship, three frigates and a sloop were all captured, after Rodney had ordered a general chase. Battle commenced at 4 pm and at 4.40 pm, the Spanish 'San Domingo', 70 guns, blew up and sank with all hands. Darkness fell soon after and the chase continued through the night, until 2.00 am. Despite fighting at night and in difficult, stormy conditions, Rodney did not lose any of his own fleet.

In this contemporary interpretation, Rodney's flagship, the 'Sandwich', 90 guns, is positioned in port-quarter view, right of centre in the foreground. The artist has contracted the grouping of the ships so that the exploding 'San Domingo', to the left, appears to be not far from the 'Sandwich's' port-bow. There is a Spanish ship in port-quarter view, firing her port-broadside, beyond the 'Sandwich's' starboard bow, and to the right other ships are involved in the action. In the left foreground are two men clinging to a spar attached to a topmast and sail. Beyond, a British two-decker in starboard-quarter view is in action to starboard with a Spanish two-decker in port-quarter view. Two other British ships can be seen almost stern-on in the background. Darkness is implied by the depiction of the sea in the foreground, in contrast to the rest of the scene, which is lit up by the force of the explosion.

Paton started his painting career as an assistant to a ship's painter on Sir Charles Knowles' ship. He rose to become one of the principal painters of naval actions of the 18th century. This picture was presented to the Naval Gallery at Greenwich Hospital in 1829 by William Tennant, as one of a pair: the other (BHC0443) shows the end of Rodney's victory over the French at the Battle of the Saints in 1782.