The "New York Volunteers" were raised in Halifax, Province of Nova Scotia, in January, 1776.

In March 1777 a detachment of the Volunteers along with soldiers of the Queen's Rangers were sent out to West Farms to fend off an insurgent raiding party in the act of rustling cattle and horses.

The rebels were tracked to the home of Steven Bridge, leading to an evening siege in which as many as 50 were killed and another 27 taken prisoner.

During surrender negotiations, Captain Archibald Campbell was shot in the heart and killed.

A detachment of the regiment served, under Charles Grey in the defence of Plymouth, when their transport ship was blown across the Atlantic, after encountering foul weather, while sailing down the North American coastline.