 He was held as a prisoner of war until being exchanged in March 1797, and allowed to return to Britain.Once there he was appointed lieutenant aboard the 98-gun , which was at this time the flagship of Crawford's old patron, now Rear-Admiral Sir Roger Curtis, with the Channel Fleet.He remained with Curtis until his promotion to commander on 14 February 1799, and his subsequent appointment to command the 14-gun brig in March that year.