During her maiden journey, on 21 April 1798, and just 24 hours out of port, she was captured by the British ship after a violent fight at the Battle of the Raz de Sein, off Île de Sein near Brest. Hercule attempted to escape through the Passage du Raz, but the tide was running in the wrong direction, and she was forced to anchor, giving the British the chance to attack at close quarters. The two ships were of equal force, both seventy-fours, but Hercule was newly commissioned; after more than an hour and a half of bloody fighting at close quarters she struck her colours at 10.30 pm, having lost — by her own officers' estimate — 290 men killed and wounded. On Mars, 31 men were killed, including her captain, Alexander Hood, and 60 wounded. Captain Louis Lhéritier of Hercule was wounded by sabre and spike leading his boarding party.[1]
The Hercule was recommissioned in the Royal Navy as HMS Hercule.
In mid-1803, the squadron under Captain Henry William Bayntun, consisting of, Hercule,,, and captured Poisson Volant and . The Royal Navy took both into service.
In May 1803, Hercules captain Solomon Ferris died suddenly on board the ship.
See main article: Action of 28 June 1803. On 28 June 1803, during the Blockade of Saint-Domingue in the Caribbean Hercule was under First Lieutenant John B. Hills, acting captain as Ferris had died a month before. She encountered the French frigate and the corvette, and attempted to capture Poursuivante. However, the latter outmaneuvered and delivered raking fire to assure her escape. Hercule was stricken across its rigging and dropped out of the fight. Louis-Philippe Crépin painted the sails, sky, smoke and fire in his relevant seascape. then captured Mignonne.
Hercule, under Captain Dun, participated in the failed attempt in January 1804 to capture Curaçao.Hercule, was caught in a Hurricane off San Domingo between 4 and 11 September 1804, both she and HMS Theseus were badly damaged, but eventually survived to reach Port Royal on 15 September.
She was broken up in 1810.[2]