| Field Officers | Captains | Subalterns | Staff | Sergeants | Buglers |
| 3 | 12 | 24 | 5 | 58 | 25 |
| Corporals | Rank and File | ||||
| 50 | 750 |
On February 2 the 2nd Battalion marched from Subathoo, and arrived at Delhi on the 20th.
Three companies, under Captain F. Seymour, marched from Delhi to Meerut on November 22, and returned to Delhi on December 4.
The 3rd Battalion marched from Bareilly on January 15 (the detachment from Loohoo Ghât having previously rejoined), and formed part of the Governor-General’s escort at Agra on the 30th, and then marched to Umballa, where it was inspected by the Commander-in-Chief in India on March 30; after which it proceeded to Meon Meer, arriving there on April 16.
In the latter part of this year some of the tribes on the north-western frontier, between British India and Afghanistan, manifested a disposition to be troublesome; they made incursions into our territory, and pillaged some villages. A force under Sir Neville Chamberlain was therefore sent up to chastise them. Unfortunately, the difficult nature of the mountain passes, and the warlike nature of the tribes occupying these hills, proved insuperable obstacles to the troops originally sent forward. Reinforcements were required; and with this object the regiments at some of the adjacent stations were despatched to the frontier under Sir John Garvock. The 3rd Battalion was in consequence sent up to occupy the place of one of these regiments. Accordingly they left Meon on November 25, and proceeded to Googerat, which they reached on December 1. On the 4th they arrived at Jhelum, on the 18th at Rawul Pindee, and on the 19th reached Hoti Murdan, a frontier fort situated beyond the Indus. About the middle of December Sir John Garvock, in two engagements, had completely defeated the offending tribes to the north, and had (as it was supposed) terminated this frontier war. The Riflemen of the 3rd Battalion, therefore, not unnaturally concluded that their long and rapid march had been, so far as fighting went, to no purpose, and that they should return without having fired a shot. At any rate, they expected to eat their Christmas dinner at Hoti Murdan in peace. But on that very morning of the 25th, at three o’clock, they were startled by hearing the bugle sound for ‘Orders.’ They were to march at once for Shubkudder, another of the frontier forts, pushed up, indeed, to the very border of our north-eastern boundary. The Mohmund tribe had shown signs of disquiet, and had not long before made an incursion to Shubkudder, and killed an officer of Irregular Cavalry, who attempted with a party to cut them off before they could return to their mountains. The Battalion started at once, and marched on Christmas Day eighteen miles to their camping-ground at Nowshera. On the 26th they made a double march of twenty-four miles to Peshawur, and on the 27th reached Shubkudder, after a march of twenty-one miles, where they encamped. The Fort of Shubkudder is situated at the foot of a spur of the Bajour mountains, in a fork formed by the junction of the Lundye river with the Cabool, and not very far to the north of the Khyber Pass.
On the 30th the Mohmund tribes were seen assembling on the low hills which bound the plain, and advancing in considerable numbers. They did not, however, on that occasion come down from their mountain fastnesses; but the spies reported that an attack might be expected, as they had sworn to engage the force at Shubkudder.
Accordingly, on January 2, 1864, they were seen from the fort, early in the morning, descending the mountain paths, and collecting on a ridge about two miles off. Colonel Macdonell, who was in command of the force, sent Colonel Ross with a company of Riflemen and one of Ghoorkas, to occupy a village about 800 yards in front of the fort, to endeavour to entice them down. They accepted the invitation, and were soon seen creeping down from the hills in twos and threes; taking cover under every bank and inequality of the ground. They opened fire, which mostly whistled over the heads of the Riflemen, who returned it, probably with better effect. Meanwhile their main body came down towards our left, and planted their standards on a mound about 1,000 yards off. Colonel Macdonell, seeing that they were not disposed to come on, sent a small body of cavalry[317] and some skirmishers to turn their right. Three guns were sent to the left of the village and opened on them. They could not stand their fire; the flags soon disappeared from the mound, and the Mohmunds retreated in a disordered crowd. Then the remaining companies of the Battalion, with Ross’s party and the Ghoorkas, formed a long line in extended order, and with the guns, advanced across the plain, and followed the retreating enemy over the ridge and to a valley beyond. There the cavalry charged from the left right into them, and completed their defeat. The Riflemen gave them a hot fire as they ascended the passes into their hills. Whilst the cavalry and guns withdrew, the Battalion retired in alternate lines of skirmishers; but the enemy were so disorganised and disheartened that they made no attempt to disturb their retreat. On reaching the plain, the Riflemen closed; and they reached their camp at dusk. The Mohmunds occupied an extent of some two miles from right to left, and are supposed to have numbered about 7,000.[318]
The 4th Battalion left Malta on September 17, and landed at Gibraltar on the 21st, where they were inspected on December 18 by Major-General Sir Robert Walpole, K.C.B., who had so long served in the Regiment, and under whose command the Riflemen had often fought in India.
The 1st Battalion moved by rail on May 31, 1864, from Hamilton to Kingston, where they arrived on June 1 and were quartered, seven companies in Tête-de-Pont barracks, and three companies at Fort Henry.