He entered the Royal Navy, 1804 as first class volunteer in and was made midshipman August of the same Year; was employed in the blockade of Brest up to January, 1806 when he joined HMS "Indefatigable"; took part in Lord Cochrane's attack upon the French fleet in the Aix Roads April, 1809; joined the "San Josef" again in February the following year and joined as lieutenant, where he took part in several bombardments on the coast of Calabria; he contributed to the destruction 16 May 1813 of the xebec "Fortune" lying in the harbour of Cavalarie; in the following winter drove on shore in Calvi Bay the French store-ship "Balleine" and a large national schooner. In 1814 Lieutenant Paynter proceeded to America and was present at the capture of Fort Washington and the capitulation of Alexandria up the Patuxent: On his return to England in 1816, Paynter was advanced to commander.