1808
The first battalion occupied quarters in Sicily during the year 1808.
1809
In June, 1809, Lieut.-General Sir John Stuart, commanding in chief in the Mediterranean, resolved to menace the capital and kingdom of Naples, as a diversion in favour of the Austrians, who were contending against numerous difficulties in their war with France. The flank companies of the TWENTY-FIRST were employed on this service; and after menacing a considerable extent of coast, which produced much alarm, the romantic and fruitful island of Ischia, celebrated for the beauty of its scenery, and situate in the Bay of Naples, about six miles from the coast, was attacked. A landing was effected in the face of a formidable line of batteries, from which the enemy was speedily driven; Lieut. Cameron of the TWENTY-FIRST, who was attached to the British flotilla, attacked the enemy's gun-boats with great gallantry, and captured twenty-four of their number; but was mortally wounded at the moment of victory. The siege of the castle was undertaken, and in a few days the garrison was forced to surrender. The island of Procida surrendered on being summoned. Two valuable islands were thus rescued from the power of General Murat, whom the Emperor Napoleon had nominated King of Naples, in succession to Joseph Bonaparte, upon whom the Emperor had conferred the crown of Spain; and one thousand five hundred regular troops, with one hundred pieces of ordnance, were captured.
An attempt was, at this period, made to reduce the castle of Scylla; but the large force, which the enemy possessed in Calabria, rendered this impracticable. The battalion companies of the regiment were employed in this service, and had Captain Hunter killed, eight rank and file killed and wounded.
A detachment of the regiment was sent, at the request of the inhabitants, to the town of Valmi, for the protection of the place; but was intercepted by the enemy, and Captains Mackay and Conran, Lieutenants M'Nab and Mackay, four serjeants, two drummers, and seventy-six rank and file, were made prisoners.
1810
In the summer of 1810, General Murat assembled upwards of one hundred heavy gun-boats, a number of others more lightly armed, and about four hundred transport-boats, and brought thirty thousand troops to the coast of Calabria for the purpose of invading Sicily. The ROYAL NORTH BRITISH FUSILIERS were employed on the coast watching the approach of the enemy, and were at the alarm-post, under arms, every morning, two hours before daylight, for several months. During a dark night between the 17th and 18th of September, four thousand men, under General Cavaignac, made good their passage, and commenced landing about seven miles to the southward of Messina. The alarm being given, the TWENTY-FIRST regiment, commanded by Lieut.-Colonel Adam (now General the Right Honorable Sir Frederick Adam, G.C.B., Colonel of the TWENTY-FIRST ROYAL NORTH BRITISH FUSILIERS), hurried to the spot, accompanied by two field-pieces which were attached to the regiment, and prevented several of the boats from reaching the shore: as the boats were retiring, a few of them were sunk by the fire of the field-pieces. The regiment next turned towards that portion of the enemy which had landed, and had taken post on two hills. The flankers were thrown out, and a fire of musketry was kept up until daylight, when the enemy, being cut off from the boats and surrounded, surrendered prisoners of war, delivering up one stand of colours. The prisoners, amounting to about one thousand officers and soldiers, were marched to Messina. This repulse, with the destruction of many of the enemy's gun-boats, by the British and Sicilian flotillas, disconcerted the plans of Murat, and no further attempts were made against Sicily.
1811
In September, 1811, the second battalion embarked from Belfast for Scotland; and in this year it sent a strong detachment, with a number of volunteers from the militia, to Sicily, which increased the strength of the first battalion to twelve hundred rank and file.