She had an active career under several captains, working essentially independently while capturing or destroying some 20 enemy privateers and naval vessels.

[1] In April 1796, Racoon, under Captain Edward Roe, captured the French privateer lugger Furet with a crew of 13 men armed with blunderbusses and muskets.

[3] On 29 April Racoon recaptured the Sincerity, John Ingham, master,[4] which a rowboat privateer had captured.

[8] The sloop Fly captured the French privateer lugger Furet of five swivels and 27 men, on 22 August, seven leagues from the Isle of Portland.

At 3 a.m. Racoon captured the French privateer Les Amis, which was armed with two 4-pounder guns and six swivels, and had a crew of 31 men.

Racoon gave chase and after a running fight of two hours captured the French privateer Policrate.

Grapeshot from Policrate's stern chase guns and small arms fire killed Racoon's master, and wounded four men, two severely.

When the prize crew went on board Vigilante they found that he was taking on water rapidly due to shot holes in her hull.

[17] On 1 July 1799, Racoon recaptured the West Indiaman Benjamin and Elizabeth, which had been sailing from Grenada to London, and which two French privateers had just captured.

Racoon immediately fired a broadside, and when the smoke cleared, the lugger had disappeared completely, apparently sunk.

Racoon set off in pursuit and after 40 minutes of a running fight came alongside and exchanged further fire with the quarry.

Lloyd stated that he "derived particular Pleasure to have deprived the Enemy of a Vessel which they considered the largest and best Sailer from Calais".

From there she sent a letter reporting that the sloop Mondovi had arrived there with the news that the Turks and Mamelukes were at war in upper Egypt, with heavy casualties on both sides.

[27] She left Portsmouth about three weeks later with a squadron to sail to Lymington and Jersey, to convey Dutch troops there to Cuxhaven.

First, on 11 July 1803, Racoon was sailing between Guanaba and St. Domingo when she sighted a French naval brig anchored in Léogâne Roads.

[32] The Frenchman was the Lodi, pierced for 20 guns but with only 10 mounted, and under the command of Capitaine de fregate M. Pierre Isaac Taupier.

[32] In August, Having received information that French privateers were operating out of Cuban ports, Bissell sailed along the east end of the Jamaican coast and then crossed to Santiago de Cuba.

At 1 p.m. Racoon sighted a brig coming along shore and that met up with a schooner that had been avoiding the British all day.

Racoon made several passes, firing on the brig, which lost her mainmast near sunset, and fell on her side.

[36] Jeune Adele and Amitie (or Amelie) were part of a group of three naval vessels, including the brig Petite Fille.

[33] On the afternoon of 13 October, Racoon had observed several vessels sail along the coast of Cuba and enter Cumberland Harbour before sunset.

Bissell sent aboard a small prize crew comprising an officer and some men and then turned his attention to the other two vessels.

Bissell maneuvered Racoon to block this attempt and continued to engage the two with broadsides, receiving cannon and extensive small-arms fire in return.

Petite Fille had been under the command of Lieutenant de Vaisseau M. Piquet (the elder), and had had on board 180 troops, in addition to crew.

[42] On 1 August, seven or eight leagues from Sand Key, Gordon and Racoon were able to lure a large French privateer to within 3-400 yards.

[44] At some point between 1 March and 1 June 1805, Racoon, still under Gordon's command, captured a French sloop with a cargo of fustic.

[45] Gordon received his promotion to post captain on 16 May,[46] but appears to have left Racoon before then, but after the capture of the sloop.

[1] On 11 May 1805, Crofton and Racoon were in the anchorage at Montego Bay when they sighted an enemy schooner boarding a drogger.

Racoon gave chase but in the light winds was unable to catch up before the privateer and his prize reached Cape Cruz.

On her way back to resume her station, Racoon encountered and captured the Spanish privateer felucca San Felix El Socoro, out of Santiago de Cuba.