The French, to the number of about nine hundred men, commanded by General Humbert, landed at Killala, and being joined by a few malcontents marched to Castlebar.
On the 24th of August the regiment marched to Blessington; on the 26th encamped at Kilbeggan; on the 28th at Athlone; on the 29th at Ballymore, in a position in front of the town; on the 1st of September it encamped at Crophill, and moved every day until the 16th, when it encamped near Moat.
Meanwhile the united French and rebel force had been attacked by Lieut.-General Lake, at Ballinamuck, on the 8th of September, and the French troops were compelled to surrender at discretion.
Major-General John Moore, in brigade orders, dated 25th of September, 1798, after detailing some irregularity on the part of the troops, added—
“The Major-General must, in justice to the Hundredth regiment, state, that hitherto he has had no complaint of any one of them, nor has he ever met them in town after the retreat beating.”
The thanks of both Houses of Parliament were, on the 15th of October, conveyed to the troops, “for their meritorious exertions on the present important crisis.”
While the regiment was encamped near Moat, the following order was received, by which the corps was numbered the NINETY-SECOND regiment.[6]
Adjutant-General’s Office, Dublin, 16th October, 1798.
“It is His Majesty’s pleasure, that the Hundredth regiment shall in future be numbered the NINETY-SECOND, and that it be placed on the same establishment with regard to field officers as other regiments of the line.