 Lapérouse then transferred to "Astrée".In the summer of 1781, he was offered command of the 50-gun "Sagittaire", but as her crew was sick with scurvy, he requested permission to keep command of "Astrée", and was appointed to lead a frigate division, along with "Hermione", under Latouche-Tréville.Lapérouse escorted a convoy to the West Indies in December 1781, participated in the attack on St. Kitts in February 1782 and then fought in the defeat at the Battle of the Saintes against the squadron of Admiral Rodney.