I have the honor, by desire of His Royal Highness the Field Marshall Commanding in Chief to acquaint you that Her Majesty has been graciously pleased to approve of the regiment under your command being permitted to wear the badges granted to the old 19th Light Dragoons for achievements during the present Century, viz.:
The Elephant
“Assaye” “Niagara”
J. W. Armstrong,
Depy. Adj. General
To the
Officer Commanding
19th Hussars.
It will be observed that the “Seringapatam” badge, granted to the old 19th Light Dragoons for four campaigns in the last century, was withheld. The 23rd of September is now observed as an annual holiday in the regiment, in commemoration of Assaye.
On the 19th May, the regiment took part in the review held at Aldershot, in honour of H.I.M. the Emperor of Russia.
At the end of June, the regiment marched to new quarters at Hounslow, with a troop at Hampton Court, and another at Kensington.
At the end of July 1875, the regiment marched to Leeds, with troops at Preston and Bury.
In June 1876, the regiment proceeded to Ireland. After going through the drill season at the Curragh, it went into quarters at Longford, Gort, Castlebar, Dunmore, and Athlone. In the following spring it returned to the Curragh, and, in October, marched to Dublin, where it was quartered in the Royal Barracks and Arbour Hill. In the following August, it again marched to the Curragh, whence, after a month, it marched for Ballincollig, with out-quarters at Cork, Cahir, Limerick, Bandon, Fermoy, and afterwards Waterford. In these quarters the regiment remained till May 1880, when it was again ordered to the Curragh. In August, the regiment again marched to Dublin, leaving one squadron at the Curragh. Three months later, a wing was ordered to Ballinrobe and Lough Mask, by rail, in aid of the civil power, returning to Dublin after a fortnight’s work, in, what was then called, the “Boycott” campaign.
In May 1881, the regiment moved to Dundalk, with two troops at Belfast and one at Belturbet. The time was one of much excitement in Ireland, when the Land League conspiracy was in full force, and the regiment was employed, during the winter, in much harassing work in support of the civil power.