1782
The FORTY-SIXTH regiment remained in the West Indies until the year 1782, when it returned to England.
A letter, dated the 31st of August, 1782, conveyed to the regiment His Majesty's pleasure, that County Titles should be conferred on the Infantry, and the FORTY-SIXTH was directed to assume the designation of the SOUTH DEVONSHIRE regiment, in order that a connexion between the regiment and that part of the county should be cultivated, which might be useful in promoting the success of the recruiting service.
On the 30th of November, 1782, the preliminary Articles of Peace were signed at Paris between Great Britain and the United States of America, and the treaty was concluded in the ensuing February.
1783
The preliminaries of the treaties between England, France, and Spain, were signed at Versailles on the 20th of January, 1783. St. Lucia was restored to France, also the settlements on the river Senegal and the city of Pondicherry in the East Indies. France relinquished all her West India conquests, with the exception of Tobago; Spain retained Minorca (which had surrendered to the combined French and Spanish forces in the previous year), and West Florida; East Florida was ceded in exchange for the restitution of the Bahamas to Great Britain.
On the 2nd of September, 1783, were signed the preliminary Articles of Peace with Holland, the treaty with that country having been postponed in consequence of the Dutch claiming an indemnification for the expenses of the war, and the restoration of Trincomalee, in Ceylon, which had been captured from the Dutch by the English in January of the previous year, and retaken by the French in August following. The place was, however, restored to Holland at the general peace.
1784
The FORTY-SIXTH regiment proceeded from Plymouth to Ireland on the 21st of February, 1784, and continued in that country during the eight following years.