She fought on the central government side during the Cantonal Rebellion of 1873–1874, taking part in the Battle of Portmán in 1873, and participated in the Spanish–Moro conflict in the Philippines in 1876.

[1] She had a John Penn and Sons steam engine rated at a nominal 600 horsepower (447 kW) which, with her four boilers, gave her a speed of 13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph).

[1] It was dissolved on 12 June 1862, and she subsequently underwent repairs at the Arsenal de La Carraca in San Fernando, Spain.

[1] Nuestra Señora del Carmén was stationed along with the screw frigate Lealtad at Havana in the Captaincy General of Cuba during the Chincha Islands War of 1865–1866.

On 13 August 1873, Carmén becaame part of the central government squadron under the command of Contralmirante (Counter Admiral) Miguel Lobo y Malagamba.

[8] Later, during the night of 10–11 October, he ordered his ships to raise sail, probably to economize on their use of coal, and a strong north wind blew his squadron offshore and eastward to a position east of Portmán, Spain.

[8] After exchanging fire with Vitoria, Numancia cut the central government line between Diana and Almansa, and crossed astern of Navas de Tolosa and Carmén.

[8] Vitoria broke off to chase Numancia, leaving Navas de Tolosa, Almansa, and Carmén to face the approaching Méndez Núñez and Tetuán.

[8] Navas de Tolosa, Almansa, and Carmén were steering toward Cartagena in the wake of Numancia and Vitoria,[8] putting them on a converging course with Méndez Núñez.

Carmén and Zaragoza pursued her but were unable to catch her before she made port at Mers El Kébir in French Algeria on 13 January 1874.

[1] On 5 February 1876, Contralmirantes (Counter Admirals) José Malcampo, the Captain General of the Philippines, and Manuel de la Pezuela, commander of the Cavite Naval Base, boarded Carmén at Manila on Luzon and she proceeded to Zamboanga on Mindanao, where a Spanish Navy squadron gathered for an expedition against the Jolo pirates during the Spanish–Moro conflict.

[1] On 12 August 1881, Carmén and the rest of the squadron were present at Ferrol for the laying of the keels of the steel-hulled unprotected cruisers Reina Cristina and Alfonso XII.

[1] In the summer of 1884, Carmén was part of a Training Squadron commanded by Contralmirante (Counter Admiral) Francisco de Paula Llanos y Herrera.

[11] King Alfonso XII and Queen Maria Christina embarked on Vitoria on 19 August 1884 for a voyage from Gijón to La Coruña and Ferrol escorted by Carmen, Numancia, the screw frigate Lealtad, and the gunboat Paz.

[1][11] The unprotected cruiser Navarra joined the squadron at Ferrol, and the ships continued the journey along the coast of Spain until Alfonso XII and Maria Christina disembarked at Vigo on 25 August 1884.

[1] On 6 January 1890, Carmén sustained serious damage to her hull, rigging, and machinery in a strong storm about 30 nautical miles (56 km; 35 mi) from Europa Point, leaving her disabled.

[1] The British captain demanded 75,000 pesetas for the tow, which Carmén′s commanding officer turned down,[1] but Carmén managed to reach Puente Mayorga, Spain, on her own on 10 January 1890.