Bedford therefore commanded the Queen on 1 June, and for his service on that memorable day was, on the captain's death some weeks later, posted into the vacancy, on 15 August.
He continued in the Queen with Sir Alan Gardner, and was present with the fleet under Admiral Lord Bridport at the Battle of Groix on 23 June 1795.
Bedford was then appointed to the 68-gun HMS Leyden in the North Sea, and was present at the raids on Boulogne on 15 August 1801, on which occasion he offered to serve as a volunteer under the junior officer in command of the boats.
Afterwards, in 1809, he was flag-captain in HMS Caledonia with Lord Gambier, at the Battle of the Basque Roads, from which, though he escaped blameless, it was impossible to derive any credit.
He attained flag-rank on 12 August 1812, and served in the North Sea under Sir William Young as captain of the fleet.