Magicienne grounded on a coral reef early in the engagement and despite the best efforts of Curtis and his crew, the ship had to be abandoned, and was set on fire to prevent her subsequent capture.

[2] Promoted to post-captain on 22 January 1806, Curtis took command of the frigate HMS Magicienne, with orders to operate in the Indian Ocean as part of the squadron attempting to blockade the French held islands of Île Bonaparte and Isle de France (now Mauritius).

[3] In 1810, Magicienne remained off the islands, participating in the Invasion of Île Bonaparte in July and subsequently supporting Captain Samuel Pym off Grand Port.

[7] Promoted to rear-admiral on 28 June 1838,[8] Curtis became Admiral Superintendent of Malta Dockyard, with his flag in the fifth-rate HMS Bombay, in March 1843.

[5] a Roger Curtis had been flag captain to Lord Howe at the Glorious First of June, and became closely associated with the perceived injustices in the distribution of awards in the aftermath of the battle.

Curtis further infuriated some of his fellow officers by acting as prosecutor at the court-martial in which Anthony Molloy was criticised for his conduct during the Atlantic campaign of May 1794.

Molloy was effectively forced out of the Navy and Roger Curtis attracted a significant amount of criticism, especially from Cuthbert Collingwood, who took a personal dislike to him.