On 10 December 1799, the 30th and 89th Regiments of Foot arrived from Sicily in order to enforce the blockade of Valletta, which was being held by the French.

It was temporarily commanded by Captain James Weir of the Royal Marines, before being transferred to Brigadier-General Moncrieff on 9 June 1800.

Soldiers in the battalion were paid 8d a day,[2] and their uniforms consisted of blue-grey coats which had red facings and gold lace, along with nankeen trousers.

[3] The battalion fought in the blockade alongside both Maltese irregular forces and British regular troops, until the French surrendered in September 1800.

[2] The detachment in Elba returned to Malta in April 1802, and the battalion was disbanded upon the expiration of the two-year period for which its men had enlisted.