Upon arrival at Plymouth, "Lord Clyde" was paid off and a new engine was built for her at Devonport Dockyard. In addition, her four-bladed propeller was replaced by a lighter, two-bladed propeller with less drag and the ship was rearmed. She remained in reserve until 1871 when she recommissioned under the command of Captain John Bythesea, an officer who had won the Victoria Cross during the Crimean War of 1854–55. "Lord Clyde" rejoined the Mediterranean Fleet. In March 1872, she ran aground herself whilst attempting to rescue the British steamship "Raby Castle" that had gone aground off the island of Pantellaria, Italy. The tug "Lord Warden" and several lighters were sent to her assistance. Attempts to lighten the ship enough to float her off were futile and she remained stuck fast taking damage from wave action that strained her back and wrenched off her sternpost, rudder post and rudder. "Lord Warden" was able to pull her off four days later and tow her to be repaired at Malta where the dockyard estimated repairs would take six months. Bythesea and his navigator were convicted during their court-martial and neither ever served at sea again.