In September 1803 Commodore Sir Samuel Hood sailed to the rock aboard Centaur (Captain Murray Maxwell).

Centaur was lying at anchor in Fort Royal Bay, Martinique, on the morning of 1 December when lookouts sighted a schooner with a sloop in tow about six miles off making for Saint Pierre.

[2][a] Hood took Ma Sophie into service as a tender, charging her captain, Lieutenant William Donnett, with watching the channel between Diamond Rock and Martinique for enemy vessels.

Donnett made frequent visits to the rock to gather the thick, broad-leaved grass to be woven into sailors' hats, and a spinach-like plant called callaloo, that when boiled and served daily, kept the crews of Centaur and Ma Sophie from scurvy and was a nice addition to a menu too long dominated by salt beef.

[5] In honour of his admiral, Maurice designated as "Hood Battery" the one 24-pounder that he placed to fire from a cave halfway up the side of the rock.

A court martial would reprimand Lieutenant Roger Woolcombe at Plymouth on 7 December 1805 for "conduct unbecoming a gentleman" for having messed (eaten) at the top of the rock with part of the ship's company.

To augment their uncertain food supply, the garrison had a small herd of goats and a flock of guinea hens and chickens that survived on the meager foliage.

The British also established a hospital in a cave at the base of the rock that became a popular place to put sailors and marines recovering from fevers or injuries.

They brought the news that a French lieutenant colonel of engineers had arrived at their plantation to survey the heights opposite for a mortar battery with which to shell the rock.

A subsequent court-martial aboard HMS Galatea at English Harbour, Antigua, convicted Acting Lieutenant Benjamin Westcott of allowing his vessel to be captured.

This forced vessels to give the rock a wide berth, with the result that the currents and strong winds would make it impossible for them to reach Fort Royal in a single tack, allowing them to be intercepted by the other blockading ships.

[22] Unfortunately for the garrison, their stone cistern had cracked, due to an earth tremor, so they were short of water, and after exchanging fire with the French, they were also almost out of ammunition.

[23] After enduring a fierce bombardment, Maurice surrendered to the superior force on 3 June 1805,[20] having resisted two French seventy-fours, a frigate, a corvette, a schooner, and eleven gunboats.

[27] The subsequent court-martial of Commander Maurice for the loss of his "ship" (i.e. the fort) exonerated him, his officers, and men and commended him for his defence.

[32] A nature survey has suggested that Diamond Rock is probably the last refuge for a species of reptile once endemic to Martinique, the couresse grass snake (Liophis cursor).

The cave is said to contain prolific quantities of beautiful sea fans and corals, though strong currents make diving around the island a risky venture.