Nautilus sailed to Hampton Roads, whence she got underway on 30 June for the Mediterranean, carrying dispatches for the U.S. Mediterranean Squadron stationed there assigned to protect the interests of the United States and its citizens residing or trading in that area, and threatened at that time by the Barbary States.

Nautilus arrived at Gibraltar on 27 July and departed again on the 31st to deliver dispatches to Captain John Rodgers in John Adams, then returned to Gibraltar to await the arrival of Commodore Edward Preble, in Constitution, and join his squadron.

Constitution arrived at Gibraltar on 12 September, and after provisioning, the squadron, less Philadelphia, sailed 6 October with vessels of Capt.

In February 1804, while Lieutenant Stephen Decatur daringly sailed Intrepid into Tripoli harbor and burned the captured Philadelphia, Nautilus cruised off Tunis.

On 20 March she collided with USS Syren, causing damage to Nautilas that she had to return to port.

[7] For the next five months, she continued to cruise off Tripoli and Tunis, retiring periodically to Syracuse and Malta, whence in February 1805, she sailed to Livorno to acquire a new mainmast.

At the end of the month, she returned to Tripoli and on 10 June hostilities ceased with the signing of a peace treaty.

Nautilus remained in the Mediterranean for a year after the treaty went into effect, conducting operations from Malta and Gibraltar.

After the War of 1812 with Britain broke out on 18 June 1812, Nautilus gained the dubious distinction of being the first vessel lost on either side.

At the time of her capture she mounted 16 guns, had crew of 106 men and was under the command of Lieutenant William M.

[22] Bird, J.Hammond, master, was a schooner of 80 tons (bm), and carrying a cargo of 3,700 "hhd" of staves and 20,000 shingles.

[10] His replacement was the newly promoted Commander Thomas Wrenn Carter,[10] who removed to HMS Carnation in April 1816.