During the Quasi-War with France, he escorted French prisoners to Pennsylvania, then was ordered to guard Naval stores in New York and in June 1799, he was transferred to the USS Constitution.

In May 1800 The Constitution sailed for the West Indies, where Carmick led his Marines in a "Trojan Horse" attack to capture the French privateer ship Sandwich at Puerto Plata in Hispaniola.

He then sailed the Sandwich around to the eastern part of the harbor where his Marines spiked the guns of the fort Fortaleza San Felipe.

[1] When James Madison was elected President in 1809, he greatly expanded the scope of the Marine Corps, and the garrison in New Orleans was brought up to 300.

After the British had taken control of Lake Borgne in early December, they marched their troops inland and set up camp 9 miles south of New Orleans.

Carmick, still in temporary command of the Battalion of Orleans, was on horseback to deliver an order to Major Plauché during the battle when a congreve rocket struck him.