Under Captain John Gavet, on 21 July 1812 she captured the British merchantman Jamaica, with seven guns and 21 men, and Diana.

The Royal Navy commissioned her under Lieutenant Theophilus Lewis, and initially employed Highflyer in the Chesapeake as a tender to Sir John Borlase Warren's HMS San Domingo.

On 13 April 1813, Warren's squadron, consisting of Highflyer, and more importantly San Domingo, Marlborough, Maidstone, Statira, Fantome, and Mohawk, pursued four schooners into the Rappahannock River.

[8] On 29 April, boats from Dolphin, Dragon, Fantome, Highflyer, Maidstone, Marlborough, Mohawk, Racer and Statira went up the Elk River in Chesapeake Bay under the personal command of Rear-Admiral Sir George Cockburn.

On 30 April Highflyer supported Fantome and Mohawk's boats when the vessels gathered cattle for the fleet's use, paying with bills on the Victualling Office.

The next day, the vessels secured more cattle from Spesutie (Spesucie) Island just south of Havre de Grace at the mouth of the Susquehanna River.

[9] At some point in May, Highflyer captured the American lookout boat Betsey, under the command of Captain Smith.

Some days after leaving Norfolk, Roger and Highflyer encountered each other and an indecisive, though prolonged, fight ensued.

[2] On 11 July, a squadron under the command of Rear-Admiral George Cockburn in Sceptre, and comprising Romulus, Fox, Nemesis, Conflict and Cockchafer and Highflyer, "tenders", anchored off Ocracoke Island, on the North Carolina coast.

President's captain, John Rodgers, had captured British recognition signals and so was able to decoy Highflyer alongside.

[14] A prize crew took Highflyer to Newport, Rhode Island; Hutchinson remained a prisoner on board President.