Public opinion, however, ran strongly in favour of Wood, and he was at once appointed to , from which, a few months later, he was moved into , again attached to the fleet off Brest, and again sent with convoy to the West Indies, where in January 1807 he was second in command under (Sir) Charles Brisbane at the reduction of Curaçao — a service for which a gold medal was awarded to the several captains engaged. In December 1808 Wood was moved into the 74-gun ship , in which he took part in the Invasion of Martinique in February 1809. In July he was transferred to , and sailed for England with a large convoy. On his arrival he was knighted, 1 November 1809, and in the following March he was appointed to , one of the Channel fleet, off Brest and in the Bay of Biscay. On 10 March 1812 broad off Ushant he sighted a French squadron some distant. Of their nationality and force he was told by the frigate which had been watching them. It was then late in the afternoon, and when, about six o'clock, two other ships were sighted apparently trying to join the enemy's squadron, and that squadron wore towards him as though hoping to cut him off, Wood judged it prudent to tack and stand from them during the night. The night was extremely dark, and in the morning the French squadron was no longer to be seen; but the other two ships, still in sight, were recognised as English ships of the line.