1788
1789
The regiment continued in England until the spring of 1788, when it again proceeded to Scotland, and remained in that kingdom the usual period of one year. After its arrival in England, in 1789, the establishment was increased nine men per troop.
1792
In August, 1792, the Colonelcy of the Prince of Wales' Dragoon Guards, vacant by the decease of General Philipson, was conferred on Major-General Sir William Fawcett, K.B., then Adjutant-General of the Forces.
1793
A further augmentation was made in the establishment in the spring of 1793, with a view to its being employed in actual warfare against the revolutionary party in France, who had seized the reins of government in that country, and beheaded their sovereign.
A French army under General Dumourier, having attacked the frontiers of Holland, a British force was sent to the continent under the command of His Royal Highness the Duke of York, to co-operate with the Austrians, Prussians, and Dutch; and on the 25th of May, four troops of the Prince of Wales' Dragoon Guards embarked at Northfleet for this service. Having landed at Ostend, they advanced to the vicinity of Tournay, and formed part of a corps of reserve to the covering army during the siege of Valenciennes, which place surrendered to His Royal Highness the Duke of York on the 26th of July. The siege of Dunkirk was next undertaken, with the view of replacing that fortress under the dominion of England, and the Third Dragoon Guards formed part of the force employed in covering the operation. The enemy having brought forward an immense body of troops, attacked the covering army with great fury; when some severe fighting occurred, during which the Third Dragoon Guards, owing to the nature of the ground, had to dismount and act as infantry; and the covering army, being eventually driven from its ground by the superior numbers of the enemy, the Duke of York raised the siege. The British troops afterwards returning to the vicinity of Tournay, were engaged in several skirmishes with the enemy; and towards the end of the year the Third Dragoon Guards proceeded to Ghent and Bruges for winter quarters.
1794
Early in 1794 the regiment was again in the field; and it was engaged in the general attack on the enemy's positions at Vaux, Premont, Marets, and Catillon, on the 17th of April; and was subsequently encamped, with nearly the whole of the British army, on the heights of Cateau, to cover the siege of Landrécies, which was undertaken by the Austrians.