War with France had broken out so Captain John Gerrard acquired a letter of marque on 18 May 1793. He sailed from Portsmouth on 7 July 1793, bound for Bengal. "Deptford" arrived at Diamond Harbour on 18 November. Homeward bound, she was at Saugor on 20 February 1794, reached St Helena on 1 May and Galway Bay on 20 July, and arrived at Long Reach on 1 September.