The 1st Battalion marched from Shorncliffe in three divisions on December 24, 26 and 28, 1818, for Chichester; and after halting there for two days proceeded to Gosport, and was quartered there, and at Haslar barracks.
It remained here till the autumn; when the disturbed state of the northern parts of the kingdom requiring the presence of a military force, the 1st Battalion embarked at three or four hours’ notice, on board the ‘Liffey,’ frigate, and the ‘Hind,’ sloop, on September 18, 1819, and landed at Leith on the 27th; and marching from thence on the next day arrived at Glasgow, the principal seat of the disturbance, on the 30th and was quartered in the Infantry barracks. Here they remained during the rest of the year.
On its arrival in England the 2nd Battalion received orders the very day after reaching Shorncliffe to march to Hastings; and starting on November 2, 1818, and halting successively at Romney and Rye, arrived there on the 4th. Its stay at Hastings however did not much exceed a month. For marching on December 7, through Hailsham, Lewes, Shoreham, Arundel, and Chichester, it arrived at Hilsea on December 12. On the 24th of that month it was inspected, previous to embarkation, by Major-General Lord Howard of Effingham; and on the 26th embarked at Portsmouth on board the ‘Fame’ and ‘Sir George Osborne’ transports; and sailing on the 28th arrived at Cove on the 31st; and disembarking immediately marched to Middleton. And on the day following, January 1, 1819, it marched to Fermoy, and after three days’ halt here, on the 5th the Battalion proceeded by Mitchelstown, Cahir, Thurles and Roscrea, and arrived at Birr barracks on the 9th; relieving there the 3rd Battalion which was being then disbanded, and from which the 2nd Battalion received by transfer on January 11, 213 non-commissioned officers and privates.
From Birr the Battalion detached two companies to Roscrea, one company to Maryborough, and smaller parties to Frankford and Banagher. In August another company was detached to Tullamore, and three companies under a major to Mullingar. These companies proceeded to Athlone on February 18, 1820; and three other companies with the Staff of the Regiment under Lieut.-Colonel Mitchell re-inforced them at Athlone on the 24th in consequence of the disturbed state of the country. On this account too the companies at Maryborough and Roscrea were pushed forward to Loughrea on the 27th; and another company from Birr followed them there on March 27. Meanwhile, three of the companies at Athlone had marched to Tuam.
On February 19, in this year, Field-Marshal The Duke of Wellington was appointed Colonel-in-Chief of the Regiment, on the death of Sir David Dundas. On this occasion the Officers of the Regiment presented to him the following address:
‘May it please your Grace,
‘We, the Lieutenant-Colonels Commanding, Field-officers, Captains and Subalterns of the two Battalions of the Rifle Brigade, beg leave to represent to your Grace with what feelings of pride and satisfaction we viewed your appointment to be our Colonel-in-Chief.
‘Assuredly so high a distinction could not fail to make a deep impression on the minds of any corps in His Majesty’s service; but we cannot conceal from ourselves that, in the breast of the majority of us, every sentiment of joy and exultation was in no slight degree augmented when memory recalled the days of active service under your Grace’s command, as well in that series of brilliant campaigns which terminated in the emancipation of the Peninsula, as during the last grand struggle, which, sealing the destruction of the common enemy, purchased for Europe tranquillity and for your Grace the title of its deliverer.
‘Whatever henceforth may be the destinies of this Corps—whether its exertions shall be for some time confined to the humbler, less inspiring, but not less imperative duty of protecting our fellow-citizens against the criminal attempts of flagitious and designing men in our native country, or whether our better fortune shall again direct us to the more enviable and spirit-stirring occupations of foreign war—we entreat your Grace to believe that the lustre of your high example will ever be present before our eyes, animating us all, each in his degree, and within the sphere of his activity, to renewed exertions; imparting to our humble efforts a character of a loftier emulation, and teaching us unceasingly to aim at results not unworthy to be associated with a name which history will indissolubly blend with the fairest and most enduring triumphs of a free and independent people.
‘We have the honour to be,
‘Your Grace’s most obedient humble servants,