The regiment was raised on 18 April 1794 in Leeds, Yorkshire, and posted to Ireland.

In 1795 it was to be posted to the Caribbean to take part in a British invasion of Saint-Domingue.

The invasion had already suffered heavy losses to yellow fever.

[1] On hearing of the plan, soldiers of the regiment rioted.

[3] Regimental titles in italics indicate they were disbanded or renumbered before 1881.