Promoted to Commander on 21 March 1796, he was appointed to the "Zélé", but suspended on 2 October 1797 for his relations to one of the deportees of the Coup of 18 Fructidor; he was reinstated on 14 December 1799 after his superiors protested. He was then appointed to the 74-gun "Scipion" before being put in command of the 16-gun "Bergère" on 19 November 1802.