Samuel, together with William Daunt, was transferred from H.M.S.Assurance on 13 May 1781 to H.M.S.Confederate upon the orders of Admiral Arbuthnot. These two men had again followed captain Jas.Cumming who had taken command of this ship. Josh Wood was the Master and Chas Lowry the Purser.

Four weeks later, the ship set sail for England taking with it 47 prisoners who had been brought aboard, Dutch and rebels from prison in New York and the remainder captured on the General Washington. Confederate arrived off the English coast after a voyage of six weeks and was paid off at Woolwich in mid September 1781. However, although Samuel then appeared in the muster for H.M.S.Greenwich, it is believed that he remained on board Confederate 'for security', in other words, on guard duty, until the end of March. Presumably, this was whilst the naval architects were surveying and drawing plans of the ship.

Below is information extracted from the ship's muster books which are kept at the Public Record Office at Kew and which relates to the time that Samuel was on board.

 
CONFEDERATE. Compliment 280 men. Began wages & Sea Victualling May 8th 1781 & at whole allowance of all species

1781	May	13	Samuel joined ship
		15	Off New York
		22	Off New York
		31	Off New York
	Jun	7	Off New York
		14	At sea
		21	At sea
		30	At sea
	Jul	9	St sea
		16	At sea
		24	At sea
		31	Downes
	Aug	7	Downes
		14	Downes
		24	S Hooler't

CONFEDERATE. Compliment 280 men. Arrived at Longreach in Woolwich.
Cheque the 19th August 1781 came from thence up to Woolwich the 24th and paid off the 21st September 1781.

1781	Aug	27	Woolwich
	Sep	3	Woolwich
		10	Woolwich
		17	Woolwich
			Ship paid off