On the 13th of December, the regiment was formed in the Palatine Square to receive His Excellency Lieut.-General the Right Honorable Sir John Byng, K.C.B., commanding the forces in Ireland. A new stand of colours (the gift of the officers) was escorted by the grenadier company from the Lieut.-Colonel’s quarters. His Excellency then made a most appropriate and flattering speech, in which he alluded to the anniversary of that day (the battle of the Nive), and the brilliant and distinguished conduct of the NINETY-SECOND on the occasion, as well as on many others of which he himself was an eye-witness. After receiving the colours from the officers of the grenadiers, and remarking how delighted he was to see the names of so many well-earned battles emblazoned on them, he placed them in the hands of the ensigns, and the regiment saluted.
Addressing Lieut.-Colonel McDonald, His Excellency observed, “that he made no allusion to the necessity of defending those colours,—that any such remark would be out of place when addressing the NINETY-SECOND,—however, he could not give the young officers and soldiers better advice, than to follow the steps of those who preceded them.”
To which the Lieut.-Colonel replied, “That if anything could enhance the value attached to those colours by the regiment, it was their being placed in the hands of the ensigns by one who had that day seventeen years shown himself so very conspicuous in planting the colours of a regiment on the enemy’s redoubts,[19] and that he pledged himself in the name of his brother officers and soldiers for their honor and safety.”
On the 23rd of December, the troops in garrison at Dublin, were paraded in review-order to receive General the Marquis of Anglesey, K.G., on his arrival to assume the government of Ireland, and lined the streets through which the procession passed to the Castle.
1831
A company of the regiment, in light marching order, under the command of Captain James McIntosh, proceeded on the 22nd of February, 1831, by forced marches to Drumcondra, in the county of Meath, which was in a state of disturbance, and where immense assemblages of the population were traversing the country.
The following letter was received from the Assistant Adjutant-General (Lieutenant-Colonel Lord Charles Fitzroy) on the 23rd of February:—
“Royal Barracks, Dublin, 23rd February, 1831.
“Sir,