The French Revolutionary Wars had by now broken out, and Halsted was quickly appointed as acting-captain of under Rear-Admiral John MacBride. He was soon moved aboard and remained in her until April 1794, when he joined the 74-gun as flag-captain to Rear-Admiral George Montagu. Halsted and Montagu took part in the naval manoeuvres of the Atlantic campaign of May 1794, but were not directly engaged at the Glorious First of June, where the British fleet under Lord Howe defeated the French under Villaret de Joyeuse. Halsted followed Montagu when he shifted his flag to the 98-gun , and the two served with the Channel Fleet until 1795. Halsted was appointed to command the 32-gun in February 1795, and went on to serve in the Channel and in the North Sea. He took over the 36-gun in October that year, and spent the rest of the French Revolutionary wars in command.