The Royal Irish Rifles,
COMPRISING
1st Batt. (formerly) The 83rd (County Dublin) Regiment of Foot.
2nd Batt. ( " ) The 86th (Royal County Down) Regiment of Foot; with Militia Battalions.
3rd Batt. The Royal North Down Militia.
4th Batt. The Royal Antrim Militia.
5th Batt. The Royal South Down Militia.
6th Batt. The Royal Louth Militia.
The Harp and Crown. The Sphinx.
TITLES.
1st Batt.
1758-63. The 83rd Regiment of Foot; disbanded.
1778-83. The 83rd (Royal Glasgow Volunteers) Regiment of Foot; disbanded.
1793-1859. The 83rd Regiment of Foot.
1859-81. The 83rd (County of Dublin) Regiment of Foot.
2nd Batt.
1759-63. The 86th Regiment of Foot; formerly 2nd Batt. 76th Foot; disbanded.
1779-83. The 86th Regiment of Foot; disbanded.
1793-1806. The 86th (The Shropshire Volunteers) Regiment of Foot.
1806-12. The 86th (The Leinster) Regiment of Foot.
1812-81. The 86th (Royal County Down) Regiment of Foot.
1881 (from). The Royal Irish Rifles.
PRINCIPAL CAMPAIGNS, BATTLES, &c.
* "Honours," the figures showing the Battalion concerned.
1795. Jamaica.
1797-8. San Domingo.
*1799-1819. India (2).
*1801. Egypt (2).
1805. Bhurtpore.
*1806. Cape of Good Hope (1).
*1809-14. Peninsula (1).
*1809. Talavera (1).
*1810. Bourbon (2).
*1810. Busaco (1).
*1811. Fuentes d'Onor (1).
1811. El Bodon.
*1812. Ciudad Rodrigo (1).
*1812. Badajos (1).
*1812. Salamanca (1).
*1813. Vittoria (1).
*1813. Nivelle (1).
*1814. Orthes (1).
*1814. Toulouse (1).
1817-19. Kandy.
1838-39. Canada.
*1842-59. Central India (1 & 2).
1857-58. Indian Mutiny.
1858. Jhansi.
1858. Golowlee.
1858. Calpe.
1858. Gwalior.
1900. South Africa.
Uniform.—1st Batt., Scarlet with Yellow facings (1793-1881). 2nd Batt., Scarlet with Yellow facings (1793-1812); Scarlet with Blue facings (1812-1881). 1st and 2nd Batts., Green with Dark Green facings (at present time).
Regimental and other Badges.—"The Harp and Crown," with Motto, "Quis separabit." Also "The Sphinx" for "Egypt" (1801), won by the 86th. The "Honours" formerly on the "Colours" have, since the conversion of the regiments into a Rifle Corps, been placed on the special pattern helmet-plate.
Nicknames.—"Fitch's Grenadiers" (of the 83rd when raised in 1793, on account of smallness of stature). "The Irish Giants" (in India, 1842, of the 86th).
Notes.—The 86th captured several standards at Jhansi (1858).
Bibliography.—Historical Record of The 86th, or Royal County Down Regiment. 1793-1842. [London: Parker. 1842.]
Memoirs and Services of the 83rd Regiment. [Bray. 1863.]