1808.
1809.
During the years 1808 and 1809, the first battalion continued to be stationed at the Cape of Good Hope.
1810.
On the 23rd of October 1810, the first battalion embarked from the Cape, having been selected to form part of an expedition designed to co-operate with troops from India, under the command of Lieut.-General John Abercromby, in the capture of the Mauritius. A landing of the troops from India had taken place a few days before the division from the Cape, under Major-General William Cockell, had arrived. Its appearance off the island was, however, particularly opportune, as the French governor had previously resolved to defend his lines before Port Louis; but when he saw the force from the Cape approach the island, he relinquished the hope of being able to make effectual resistance, and surrendered this valuable colony to the British. The battalion disembarked at Port Louis on the 1st of December, where it remained on duty, after the other regiments composing the expedition returned to their respective quarters. Captain Henry C. Streatfeild with two officers and one hundred men were embarked on board a ship of war, in advance of the expedition, and landed before the force from the Cape.
1811 to
1814.
The first battalion continued to form part of the garrison of the island during the four following years.
1815.
In May 1815, the first battalion at the Mauritius was directed to hold itself in readiness for active service in India, and embarked on board of transports on the 16th of June, and landed at Fort William, in Bengal, on the 3rd of August.
The light company embarked in an Arab ship, with the flank companies of the Twelfth and Twenty-second regiments, and were carried into the Gulf of Manaar; the ship being there weather-bound, the troops were landed, with the assistance of country-boats, at Calpenterre, in Ceylon, and having remained fourteen days at Point de Galle, embarked again in the Arab ship for Calcutta, where they arrived, and rejoined the regiment on the 25th of September.