Lieut.-General Sir James Macdonell, K.C.B. and K.C.H., was appointed from the seventy-ninth to be colonel of the Seventy-first or Highland regiment, on the 8th of February 1849, upon the decease of Lieut.-General Sir Thomas Arbuthnot, K.C.B.
In compliance with instructions received upon the occasion of Her Majesty’s visit to Dublin, the head-quarters of the first battalion, with the effectives of three companies, proceeded from Naas to that garrison on the 28th of July, and were encamped in the Phœnix Park. The three detached companies also joined at the encampment on the same day. On the 13th of August the head-quarters and three companies returned to Naas.
The head-quarters and two companies of the reserve battalion, under the command of Lieut.-Colonel Sir Hew Dalrymple, Bart., proceeded from St. John’s to Montreal, in aid of the civil power, on the 28th of April 1849. The head-quarters and three companies quitted Montreal and encamped on the Island of St. Helen’s on the 30th of June, but returned to St. John’s on the 16th of July. On the 17th of August 1849, the head-quarters and two companies proceeded from St. John’s to Montreal, in aid of the civil power, and returned to St. John’s on the 6th of September.
1850.
In April 1850, the first battalion proceeded from Naas to Dublin.
The head-quarters and two companies of the reserve battalion quitted St. John’s and Chambly on the 21st of May 1850, and arrived at Toronto on the 23d of that month, where the battalion was joined by the other companies, and it continued there during the remainder of the year.
1851.
In April 1851, the first battalion proceeded from Dublin to Mullingar, and in July following was removed to Newry.
During the year 1851 the reserve battalion continued to be stationed at Toronto.
1852.