Hyacinth took part in some notable actions on the coast of Spain, one of which earned qualified in 1817 for the Naval General Service Medal.

At some point in 1812 the Admiralty re-rated Hyacinth as a post ship, and Captain Thomas Ussher took command of her.

[2] In the spring of 1812 Hyacinth received the task of stopping several fast vessels that were operating as privateers from Malaga, all under the command of "Barbastro".

Hyacinth's gig and pinnace with Usher, Lieutenant Thomas Hastings and 26 men, attacked a battery of fifteen 24-pounder guns.

Her barge, with Lieutenant Francis Spilsbury and John Elgar, purser, and 24 men attacked a second battery of four 24-pounder guns opposite the first.

Commander Lilburne of Goshawk, with 40 men in Lieutenant Cull's gunboat, attacked the chief privateer ship Brave (or Braave, alias Sebastiani).

To assist the attack, Usher turned the guns in the battery that he had captured around and fired on the castle of Gibralfaro; the British kept up the cannonade until they had exhausted the available ammunition.

[Note 2] In May 1812, Hyacinth and Termagant and Basilisk supported Spanish guerrillas on the coast of Granada, against the French.

Prize money for the "capture of a brass gun and the destruction of a French privateer, name unknown" was payable in March 1836.

The French also left behind a number of deserters, Flemish and German draftees, who had long looked for an opportunity to quit their involuntary service.

Hyacinth shared with San Juan, Sabine, Lavinia, Hindostan and Tuscan in the American droits for Phoenix, Margaret, Allegany and Tyger, captured on 8 August 1812 at Gibraltar after the arrival of the news of the outbreak of the War of 1812.

[13][Note 4] Ten days later, Hyacinth and Blossom were in sight when the letter of marque Sir Alexander Ball captured the American ship Grace Ann Green.