1796
Ireland being, at this period, in a state bordering on rebellion, the Sixth, commanded by Lieut.-Colonel Colin Campbell, were ordered to proceed to that country. They embarked at Bristol in February, 1796, landed at Waterford, and in May proceeded to Kilkenny. The French directory cherished a decided antipathy to the British government, and sent a body of troops to Ireland to aid the malcontents in an appeal to arms. In December, when the French armament appeared in Bantry Bay, the Sixth marched to oppose the enemy, who returned to France without effecting a landing.
1797
1798
The regiment returned to Kilkenny in January, 1797, from whence it marched in April to Loughlinstown, near Dublin, where a considerable force was assembled in huts: it was subsequently encamped in Phœnix Park, Dublin, and being very weak in numbers, it was united to the first light infantry battalion in October it returned to its huts at Loughlinstown; and in the early part of 1798, marched to Nenagh, and subsequently to Galway.
The long-suppressed rebellion broke out in May, 1798, and Ireland became the scene of conflagration, rapine, and bloodshed, the conduct of the insurgents being of the most cruel and inhuman character. The Sixth, and light battalion attached to them, commanded by Lieut.-Colonel Colin Campbell, were employed in suppressing this unnatural warfare. Scarcely was this accomplished, when the French directory endeavoured to revive the contest by sending General Humbert with about a thousand men to Ireland; and Major Macbean, with eighty men of the Sixth (who were not attached to the light battalion) formed part of the force sent against the French. In the action at Castlebar, on the 27th of August, the eighty men of the Sixth were the last that quitted their ground; their commanding officer, Major Macbean, was taken prisoner by the French and very cruelly treated; but he escaped a few days afterwards and joined the regiment at Tuam. The French having been surrounded and made prisoners, the rebellion was finally suppressed, and the regiment passed the winter at Moate and Athlone, under the command of Lieut.-Colonel Bowes.
1799
Tranquillity having been restored in Ireland, the regiment embarked at Cork in June, 1799, for Canada, and landed on the 14th of October at Quebec, where its ranks were completed by a draft from the third battalion of the sixtieth regiment.
1803
The Sixth remained at Quebec until 1803, when they proceeded, under the command of Lieut.-Colonel Bowes, up the country to Montreal, Kingston, and St. John's.
1804
1806