In January, 1788, the regiment embarked from Glasgow for Ireland, and, landing at Belfast, proceeded from thence to Galway, where it was stationed during the following year.
1790
1791
From Galway the regiment marched, in the autumn of 1790, to Dublin, where it was stationed during the year 1791, its lieutenant-colonel, Colonel Peter Craig, commanding the garrison.
1792
From Dublin the regiment marched, in June, 1792, to Drogheda. In the mean time a revolution of a violent and dangerous character had taken place in France, and the French monarch was placed under restraint. These proceedings, with the attempts made by the French to promulgate their democratical doctrines in other countries, appearing to render a war inevitable, the army was augmented, and two companies were added to the Fifty-sixth Regiment.
1793
Several changes of quarters took place in the early part of 1793. Brevet-Major Valloton, being stationed with his company at Wexford, was employed, on the 11th of June, 1793, in suppressing a tumult at that place, and, advancing in front of his men, to expostulate with the rioters, he was cut down by one of the mob with a scythe; his men fired on the assassin, and several rioters were killed and wounded. A monument was erected to the memory of Major Valloton near the town of Wexford, where the occurrence took place.
In August the regiment marched to Cork, and was held in readiness to proceed on foreign service. The French republicans had added to their other atrocities the decapitation of their sovereign; war had commenced, and the Fifty-sixth Regiment was selected to join an expedition to the West Indies, under General Sir Charles (afterwards Earl) Grey, to deliver the French West India islands from the power of the republicans. The regiment embarked for this service in November, and sailed for Barbadoes, where it arrived in January, 1794.
1794
The flank companies of the regiment were formed in grenadier and light infantry battalions, and, with the battalion companies, proceeded against the island of Martinico. A landing was effected at three different points in the early part of February, 1794, and some sharp fighting occurred, in which the Fifty-sixth, particularly the flank companies, had the honor to take part, and in a short period this valuable island was captured by the British arms. Sir Charles Grey stated in his despatch,—“The general and field officers and the commanding officers of corps, have set such an example of zeal, activity, and animation in this service, which has been so laudably imitated by all the officers and soldiers of this little army, that they merit the greatest praise.”