Experiment was built in 1799 at Baltimore, Maryland; and first put to sea late in November 1799, Lieutenant William Maley in command.

[2] Experiment joined the squadron commanded by Captain Silas Talbot on the Santo Domingo station, and for seven months, cruised against French privateers in the Caribbean, taking a number of valuable prizes.

In the seven hours of fighting that followed, the pirates boarded one of the merchantmen, killing her captain, and towed off two other ships of the convoy after their crews had abandoned them.

[16] Arriving in the Delaware River early in July 1800, Experiment refitted, and returned to the West Indies under new commander, Lieutenant Charles Stewart Jr, Lt. Maley having been dismissed from the Service.

On 16 November she fought a four hour battle with an unknown vessel, after they struck it was discovered to be the British schooner "Louisa Bridges".

[22] She also recaptured a number of American merchantmen, and 0n 19 January 1801 rescued 60 women and children and 7 crewmen, Spaniards, from the ship Eliza, wrecked on a reef off the island of Saona.

[24] In a letter dated 20 February to Josiah Parker, chairman of the Committee on Naval Affairs, Navy Secretary Stoddert recommended selling her.