[1] During this time, the regiment was based at various locations in England, but in early 1793, they were posted to Hilsea Barracks near Portsmouth, where they were to provide detachments of soldiers to act as marines aboard Royal Navy warships during the War of the First Coalition.
[2] At the end of December 1794, Johnstone joined a battalion of 21 officers and 640 men, formed from those in the 29th who were not detached to warships; they embarked on the troopship Maria for the Caribbean island of Grenada, where discontent would lead to an insurrection, known as Fédon's Rebellion or the Brigand's War, in the coming months.
Johnstone was in Scotland at the time of his appointment and recruited Scottish and Irish men for his new regiment before embarking for British North America.
[7] While at home, he was posted to command the 93rd (Highland) Regiment of Foot,[8] which had been on garrison duty in the Cape Colony (in present-day South Africa) since their participation in the Battle of Blaauwberg in 1806.
[11] During the day of the battle they were ordered to move back to a position 1 mile (1.6 km) south south-west of Halle to protect the approach to Brussels from the Braine-le-Comte and Enghien roads.
Despite Wellington's army being hard pressed at times he refused to draw men from the 4th Division into the main battle as he considered their role on the flank as too important.
[13] Colville's division played a key part in the allied pursuit of the French the morning after the battle; Johnstone was ordered to march early to occupy Nivelles.