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

[3] It embarked for the West Indies later that year and took part in the Invasion of Martinique in January 1762 before returning home in 1763.

[6] At Cape St Vincent, Matthew Stevens, a soldier from the regiment, was the first to board the Spanish ship San Nicolas.

[2] The 1st battalion embarked for India in 1805 and helped to suppress the Vellore mutiny in July 1806[10] and the Travancore Rebellion in spring 1809.

[13] At Quatre Bras the King's Colour was captured by the enemy[14] and Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Morice, commanding officer of the battalion, was killed in a French cavalry charge.

[2] The regiment embarked for the West Indies in November 1831 and was stationed in Saint Vincent before moving to Demerara in 1835.

[19] It embarked for Canada in August 1867 and while, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel George Bagot, helped to defeat a Fenian Raid at the Battle of Trout River in May 1870.