It was taken as a prize in the 1778 battle, commissioned into the Royal Navy and renamed in 1779, but a few years later was grounded off Tortola in the British Virgin Islands, and was broken up.

At 6:00 that morning, the Spanish frigate was spotted to the north-west and was brought to action after a 3+1⁄2-hour chase.

The Santa Monica surrendered after a two-hour engagement, having 38 men killed and 45 wounded.

[3] The Santa Monica was a larger frigate than Pearl, at 956 long tons (971 t) burden, but not as well armed; she was rerated as a 36-gun when taken into British service.

The shipwreck was found in the general area of Coral Bay, off Saint John in what is now the U.S. Virgin Islands.