"Aeolus" joined Commodore John Loring's squadron off Saint-Domingue following the defeat of the French forces there, and still serving with Loring, took part in the capture of the French 74-gun "Duquesne" off Saint-Domingue on 25 July 1804. The French ship, under Commodore Quérangal, had been trapped at Cape Francois by a British blockade, along with the 74-gun "Duguay-Trouin", under Captain Claude Touffet, and the 40-gun "Guerriere", under Captain Beaudouin. The squadron escaped to sea under cover of squalls on the afternoon of 24 July, and split up, "Duguay-Trouin" and "Guerriere" heading east pursued by Captain George Dundas in , and "Duquesne" heading west followed by Loring in and accompanied by HMS "Aeolus" and . and soon joined the chase. "Duquesne", unable to escape, struck her colours to Captain James Walker of "Vanguard".