The formation of the regiment was prompted by the expansion of the army as a result of the commencement of the Seven Years' War.

[1] In spring 1761 the regiment formed part of a force which successfully captured Belle Île.

[1] In 1785 the regiment was posted to the West Indies: it arrived at Barbados and then moved to Antigua in autumn 1785.

[8] Meanwhile, the 2nd battalion embarked for Portugal in November 1810 for service in the Peninsular War[9] and fought at the Battle of Barrosa in March 1811[10] and the siege of Tarragona in June 1813[11] before taking part in operations on the East coast of Spain in the closing stages of the War.

[16] It fought at the Battle of Charasiab in October 1879 and the siege of the Sherpur Cantonment in December 1879 before returning to India in 1881.