Melpomène was commissioned on 1 June 1812 in Toulon under Commander Charles Béville.

She was decommissioned on 21 February 1814, but reactivated in January 1815 under Captain Joseph Collet, at Toulon.

On 24 April, during the Hundred Days, she was sent to Napoli to transport Letizia Ramolino.

on the 30th, she encountered the 74-gun HMS Rivoli off Ischia,[3] commanded by Captain Edward Stirling Dickson.

[1] In May, the frigate Dryade brought Ramolino to France, along with Prince Jérôme Bonaparte.