In January, 1833, the royal authority was given for the Thirteenth Light Dragoons to retain on their appointments the motto, "Viret in æternum." This motto was borne by the regiment when it was a corps of heavy cavalry, and known by the name of the "the green dragoons," but was discontinued on its being made light. The motto was subsequently resumed, and the privilege of bearing it was confirmed to the regiment by King William IV., as above stated[10].
1836
In December, 1836, King William IV. was pleased to command that the facing of the regiment should be altered to green.
1839
Two squadrons of the regiment, under the command of Lieut.-Colonel Maclean, were detached to Bellary in February, 1839, and formed part of the force employed in the expedition against the Nuwaub of Kurnool. In the affair at Zorapoor, a party of the regiment, commanded by Lieutenant Cameron, pursued the fugitives across the river Toombuddra, and took several prisoners; for which they were thanked in orders. The regiment lost one man, drowned, on this occasion. The two squadrons returned to Bangalore on the 28th of November. They lost thirty-two men, principally from cholera, and six horses, on this service.
1840
After passing upwards of twenty years in performing the important duty of protecting the British possessions in the south of India, the regiment received orders to prepare to return to England, and it marched to Madras in the beginning of 1840[11], where it was reviewed by Major-General Sir Robert Dick, K.C.B. and K.C.H., and on the following day transferred its horses to the Fifteenth Hussars; such non-commissioned officers and soldiers as volunteered to remain in India were then permitted to transfer their services to other corps.
At the frequent reviews and inspections of the Thirteenth, during their service in India, the regiment was invariably complimented on its admirable system of interior economy, its high state of discipline and efficiency, and the following orders were issued previous to its leaving Madras:—
"Head-Quarters, Centre Division, Madras,
29th January, 1840.