In November, 1799, the regiment was withdrawn from Guernsey, and landed at Portsmouth on the 15th of that month.
On its return from the West Indies, the regiment enlisted a number of boys, or youths; and in 1798 it received drafts of boys, or lads, from other corps; it was designated a boy regiment, and sent to the Cape of Good Hope, where the youths, it was conjectured, would be gradually accustomed to a warm climate, and become better adapted for service in the East Indies, than recruits sent direct from Europe to India.
1800
In January and February, 1800, the regiment embarked for the Cape of Good Hope, where it arrived in May and June following. The companies on board of one transport, the Surat Castle, suffered severely in consequence of their crowded state: the crew was composed of Lascars, among whom much disease prevailed; the infection was communicated to the soldiers, and the men of the TWENTY-SECOND suffered in their health; sixty soldiers were sent on shore, to a general hospital, before the ship left England. The survivors arrived at the Cape in a sickly state; they had been obliged to aid in working the vessel during the voyage, and the masts and rigging had been damaged during a gale of wind.
1801
The head-quarters were established at Muisenberg, and afterwards encamped at Wynberg, a tongue of land projecting from the east side of Table Mountain. The sick men received every attention which could be procured by Major-General Francis Dundas, commanding at the Cape, and as they recovered they joined the head-quarters, which were removed to Simon's-town in January, 1801, and again encamped at Wynberg in March. In May the regiment marched into Cape Town, and in September joined the camp at Rondebosch.
The lads having become much improved in size and strength, the light infantry company joined the flank battalion; and the grenadiers were detached to the interior, and stationed at Graaff Reinett.
1802
Leaving the camp in January, 1802, the regiment was removed to Muisenberg, Simon's-town, and Graaff Reinett.