They were again marched to their quarters at Leith, led by the Earl of Seaforth, with the plan to send them to India now abandoned.

[12] Because of change of diet, rough seas and scurvy, 274 died on the voyage; including the Earl of Seaforth, whose cousin Lieutenant Colonel Humberston Mackenzie took command of the regiment.

They joined the army of Sir Eyre Coote at Chingleput at the beginning of May 1782 but because of their general health, they were considered unfit for service.

By October 1782 they had recovered their strength and "the colours were once again unfurled" to allow the regiment to take part in the wars against Tipu Sultan.

[10] Colonel Humberston Mackenzie was killed in April 1783 on board the sloop HMS Ranger in action against a Mahratta fleet on his return journey from Bombay to Madras during the Second Anglo-Mysore War.

[10] The men had enlisted for a three-year period of service and 425 took their discharge in 1784 and returned to Scotland, the remainder electing to remain in India.

[23] In August 1805 the 1st battalion put to sea and landed in Madeira before moving on to the Cape of Good Hope at the end of the year and taking part in the Battle of Blaauwberg against the Dutch in January 1806.

[5] From South Africa, the 1st battalion sailed again and took part in the Invasion of Isle de France (Mauritius) in December 1810.

[3] The regiment embarked for South Africa again in June 1828[29] and saw action in the Sixth Xhosa War in 1834–1835[30] before returning home in May 1840.