In 1780, Caton was part of the squadron under Guichen, captained by Georges-François de Framond.

[4] At the Battle of Fort Royal, on 29 April 1781, Caton was one of the four ships to come reinforce the squadron under De Grasse, along with Victoire, Réfléchi and Solitaire.

[6] On 10 April 1782, in the run-up to the Battle of the Saintes, Caton found herself becalmed and Framond asked for assistance.

She sailed with the fleet for England on 25 July 1782 but was said to have been lost later that year in a hurricane storm off Newfoundland on 16–17 September, along with the other captured French prize ships Ville de Paris, and Hector.

On 26 January 1783, a small British convoy of eight military transports sailed out of Halifax for England; accompanied by Caton, and escorted by the 36-gun frigate HMS Pallas.