Promotion to captain eventually came on 5 April 1757, briefly in command of the new frigate "Richmond", then from the end of 1757 in command of HMS "Diana", 32 guns. In the "Diana" he played a distinguished part in the taking of Louisburg in 1758 (taking the fleet's commander in Edward Boscawen in close to reconnoitre the coast, covering the landing and taking command of a party of seamen landed to man the batteries) and Quebec in 1759/60 (bombarding the shore under Charles Saunders and repulsing a French attempt to regain the city), and was a close associate of James Wolfe. He was then sent back in 1760 with the news of the victories. There he was appointed to the "Essex", with that ship taking part in the 1764 reduction of Belle Île, under Commodore Augustus Keppel and then serving in the Brest and Biscay fleet until the peace.