Hussar primarily served as a convoy escort and cruiser, in which occupation the frigate took several prizes, including the French privateer Le General Bessieres.

The crew attempted to sail for home in a fleet of commandeered boats, but the majority were forced to go into Brest to avoid sinking in bad weather, where they were made prisoners of war.

The ships were, however, known for "deep and uneasy rolling and pitching", which naval historian Robert Gardiner suggests was because they were built very stiffly.

[2][10] Hussar was commissioned by Captain Lord Garlies in November 1799, for service in the English Channel and off the coast of Ireland as part of the Cork Station.

[14] On 9 November a large gale hit the south coast of England, and many ships in the area were driven out to sea by it and badly damaged.

Among these casualties was Hussar, which lost all topmasts and the mizzenmast in the gale, and received considerable hull damage, including the loss of the rudder.

[17] Having returned to sea, Hussar continued operating with convoys, escorting the East India Company ships Carnatic, Henry Addington, Nottingham, and Ocean on the first leg of their journey to Calcutta on 8 January 1801.

[23] Hussar received a refit at Plymouth Dockyard between May and November 1802, and was recommissioned in June by Captain Philip Wilkinson, who had joined the ship in May.

[5][24][28] On 6 February 1804 Hussar was ordered to sail back to England from Ares Bay carrying the dispatches of Captain Sir Edward Pellew, the commander of the squadron.

The fishing boats, however, were found to be in very poor condition and they were all forced to sail into Brest to avoid being lost at sea as the weather worsened.

[34] Wilkinson's barge, which had been leading the fishing boats before being lost in the rain, was not affected by these problems, and he reached the 36-gun frigate HMS Sirius which took him in, arriving at Portsmouth on 28 February.

[5][24] Two members of the crew, Midshipman Henry Ashworth and Master's Mate Donat Henchy O'Brien, succeeded in escaping from the prison of Bitche Citadel in November 1808 by stealing a boat and making their way to Trieste, from where they and another naval officer were picked up by a raiding party from the 32-gun frigate HMS Amphion.