At this period, three companies of the regiment were employed on duty at Windsor and Hampton Court, and their good conduct attracted the attention of the King, George III., who was always ready to confer marks of his royal approbation on corps and individuals. His Majesty made some alterations in the clothing, and directed the "white horse," with the motto "Nec aspera terrent," to be placed on the black bear-skin caps to be worn by the grenadiers, and on the white caps to be worn by the drummers[3].
1766
Towards the end of May, 1766, the regiment marched into village quarters near Hounslow Heath, where it was reviewed on the 4th of June by the King, who was graciously pleased to express his royal approbation of its appearance and movements in the field. After the review the regiment marched to Salisbury and adjacents.
1771
In June the regiment embarked at Portsmouth for North America, and was stationed in Nova Scotia and Canada until 1771, when it embarked from Halifax for the West Indies, to take part in reducing to submission to the British government, the refractory Caribbees in St. Vincent's.
1772
1773
The island of St. Vincent's was captured from the French in 1762, and was ceded to Great Britain at the peace in 1763; it was found to contain two tribes of natives called the red and black Caribs, the former being the Aborigines, and the latter having sprung from a cargo of African slaves, who escaped from a vessel which was wrecked on the island. The Caribbees were devoted to the French interest; they were dangerous and troublesome neighbours to the English planters, and it was found necessary to restrain their conduct, and enforce obedience to a few salutary regulations. They were, however, of a determined spirit, possessed many thickly-wooded fastnesses, and so resolutely resisted all attempts to restrain their roving propensities and mode of life, that it was found necessary to augment the military force on the island. The Fourteenth Foot were employed against the refractory Caribbees in 1772 and 1773; numerous skirmishes occurred among the thickly-wooded parts of the country, and several soldiers were killed and wounded, in the bush fighting, which took place daily for some time. At length the Caribbees were reduced to submission: and the regiment returned to North America, leaving a number of sick men and others in the West Indies.
1774
1775
The regiment was stationed at Virginia in North America, when the misunderstanding between Great Britain and these prosperous and wealthy colonies, produced open hostilities. The spirit which the colonists evinced in resisting the acts of the British parliament, for raising a revenue in their country, assumed a serious aspect in the years 1773 and 1774, and in 1775 hostilities commenced in the state of Massachusetts. The Fourteenth Regiment remained in the state of Virginia for some time afterwards; it was, consequently, not at Bunker's Hill; but it lost two promising officers at that battle, on the 17th of June, 1775, who were attending Major-General Howe during the engagement: viz., Lieutenant and Adjutant Bruce, who was killed, and Ensign Hesketh mortally wounded.
On the 18th of October, 1775, the colonelcy of the regiment was conferred on Major-General Robert Cunninghame, from the Fifty-eighth Foot, in succession to Lieutenant-General the Honorable William Keppel, removed to the Twelfth Dragoons.