In 1776, the ship was sent to North America under the command of Captain Thomas Jordan with a crew of 200.[1] She took part in the capture of 30 American ships.
On 1 January, 1778 she captured the merchant schooner Jolly Robin.
On 3 January she captured the Dutch schooner St. Ann carrying a cargo from Virginia to Curacao.[2]
An American naval squadron led by Samuel Elbert attacked the ship near St. Simons Island in what became known as the Frederica naval action. Although the Americans captured her other three escort ships, Galatea's crew ran her aground and managed to escape without being captured.
On 28 April 1779 the American cutter Revenge, captained by Gustavus Conyngham, was captured and the crew were held aboard the Galatea. By his own report Conyngham was kept in irons until he reached prison, and was given no more than a “cold plank as my bed, a stone for a pillow”. Additionally, he was not fed properly, causing him to lose fifty pounds while imprisoned on the ship en route to his English prison.
↑ Clark, William Bell; Morgan, William James; Crawford, Michael J. (1964). Naval documents of the American Revolution, Volume 7. Naval History Division, Dept. of the Nav.
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