During the Chincha Islands War of 1865–1866, Lealtad and the screw frigate Nuestra Señora del Carmén operated in the Caribbean.

[1][9] The Ten Years' War broke out in Cuba in 1868, and in 1869 Lealtad once again deployed there[1][10] to support Spanish Empire forces fighting against insurgents of the Cuban Liberation Army.

[1] Lealtad returned to Spain in 1882 and was assigned to the Training Squadron under the overall command of Contralmirante (Counter Admiral) Luis Bula y Vázquez.

[1] Tasked with transporting the remains of Admiral Casto Méndez Núñez from Ferrol to Cádiz, Lealtad anchored at Vigo on 4 June 1883.

[1] In 1883, Lealtad also joined Carmén (the former Nuestra Señora del Carmén) and the armoured frigates Numancia and Vitoria in escorting the Imperial German Navy screw corvette SMS Prinz Adalbert as Prinz Adalbert transported the German Crown Prince Frederick on his trip to Valencia.

[1] In the summer of 1884, Lealtad was part of a Training Squadron commanded by Contralmirante (Counter Admiral) Francisco de Paula Llanos y Herrera[11] when King Alfonso XII and Queen Maria Christina embarked on Vitoria on 19 August 1884 for a voyage to La Coruña and Ferrol escorted by Numancia, Carmén, Lealtad, and the gunboat Paz.

[11] The unprotected cruiser Navarra joined the squadron at Ferrol, and they continued the journey along the coast of Spain until Alfonso XII and Maria Christina disembarked at Vigo on 25 August 1884.

[1] Shortly afterwards, Navarra and the screw frigate Almansa joined them, and on 24 October the Ministry of the Navy ordered additional ships to reinforce the squadron out of a fear that Germany would attack the Balearic Islands and use them as bargaining chips in peace talks after a possible war.