She made five voyages for the EIC, during the fourth of which she participated in an inconclusive single-ship action with a French privateer.

EIC voyage #1 (1797-1799): Captain Edward Chapman Bradford acquired a letter of marque on 10 June 1797.

[3] EIC voyage #2 (1801-1802): Captain Bradford sailed from Portsmouth on 31 March 1801, bound for Madras and China.

[3] EIC voyage #3 (1803-1804): Captain Bradford sailed from the Downs on 1 February 1803, bound for Madras and Bengal.

She reached the Cape of Good Hope on 23 April and Madras 13 June; she arrived at Diamond Harbour on 22 July.

[4] Homeward bound, Admiral Gardner was at Saugor on 7 November, reached St Helena on 12 March 1804, and arrived at Blackwall on 11 June.

[7] EIC voyage #5 (1807-1808): Captain William John Eastfield acquired a letter of marque on 30 December 1806.

[3] On 24 January 1809, Captain Eastfield sailed from the Downs, bound for Madras and Bengal, at the start of Admiral Gardner's sixth voyage for the EIC.

The next day Admiral Gardner was lost on the Goodwin Sands off South Foreland when a gale tore her from her moorings.

[9][10] Lost with Admiral Gardner was her cargo, a large number of EIC X and XX copper cash coins, belonging to Matthew Boulton.