Maitland married Catherine, the second daughter of Daniel Connor of Ballybricken, County Limerick, Ireland in April 1804. They had only one child, which died in infancy. By this time Maitland's patron St Vincent had been made first lord of the Admiralty. With the outbreak of war he appointed Maitland to the 38-gun HMS "Loire", which Maitland sailed off the west coast of France and the north coast of Spain. Maitland spent three years with the "Loire", during which time he captured or destroyed a number of privateers and coastal batteries. He was involved in a particularly heroic action on 4 June 1805 in Muros Bay, south of Cape Finisterre, for which he received the thanks of the City of London, the freedom of Cork, and a sword from the Patriotic Fund. He also took part in the capture of the French frigate "Libre" on 24 December 1805. His next command was the 36-gun , which he took up in November 1806. The service was the same as the "Loire's", and Maitland continued his successes aboard her. He was at the Battle of the Basque Roads in April 1809, but due to the confusion "Emerald" was one of the ships that were not sent in until 12 April.