As war with Revolutionary France approached, the navy expanded, and on 31 January 1793 Young was given command of the 74-gun . He took "Fortitude" out to the Mediterranean to join the fleet under Lord Hood, where he took part in the occupation and siege of Toulon. With the fall of the city to the republicans, Hood decided to establish a base at Corsica. He sent a squadron under Commodore Robert Linzee, and consisting of three ships of the line and two frigates, with troops under Major-General David Dundas, to Mortella Bay. The troops were landed on 7 February 1794, and on 9 February "Fortitude" and "Juno" were sent to bombard a tower, just south of Pointe de la Mortella. Capturing the tower was necessary to secure the bay, but it proved highly resistant to bombardment, and despite only being armed with one 24-pounder gun, inflicted heavy damage on the British ships. After two hours of bombardment "Fortitude" had been nearly set on fire by hot shot, and was forced to retreat with six men killed and fifty-six wounded.