. During a cruise off Chesapeake Bay, Russell engaged and fought the 16-gun privateer Lady Washington. She was captured and sold for £26,000, of which, as captain, Russell was entitled to two-eighths in prize money. Russell cruised the American coastline and was successful, capturing eight prizes in round five weeks. On his return to England he was appointed to the , under Captain James Gambier, afterwards Lord Gambier, and was present at the relief of Jersey in May 1779,. Briefly Russell was placed in command of Drake's Island lying in Plymouth Sound as a reward for his services on Jersey. Russell was reassigned to the Raleigh when she formed part of the fleet that accompanied Vice-Admiral Arbuthnot's and Sir Henry Clinton's expedition and Russell was with the Raleigh at the Siege of Charleston. The siege and capture of Charlestown saw the biggest surrender of men of the Continental Army of the entire war. At Charlestown Russell was promoted by Arbuthnot on 11 May 1780 to the command of sloop , from which, on 7 May 1781, he was promoted post-captain and put in command of the third-rate . Apparently this was for rank only, and he was almost immediately appointed to of 20 guns. Hussar had been the 28-gun Protector of the Massachusetts State Navy but was captured by the British and refitted with just 20-guns, classifying her as a sixth-rate post ship, the smallest class of vessel that a post captain could command. Russell cruised in her along the coast of North America with marked success, taking several prizes. Capture of the Sibylle On 22 January 1783 Hussar sighted the French 32-gun frigate Sybille. The Sybille, commanded by Monsieur le Comte de Kergariou-Locmaria. The French ship had been engaged three weeks previously with the 32-gun British frigate HMS Magicienne under Captain Thomas Graves. Both ships had fought until they had both been dismasted and were forced to disengage. Sybille made for a French port under a jury rig and was then caught in a violent storm. Due to this unfortunate series of events, Kregarou had been obliged to throw twelve of his guns overboard. When she sighted the Hussar, Kregarou ordered the British flag hoisted over the French, the recognised signal of a prize, and at the same time, in the shrouds, another British flag, union downwards, the internationally recognised signal of distress. Accordingly, Russell, bore down to her