The gallant behaviour of the regiment during the Mahratta war, and at the reduction of the island of Bourbon, had been represented to their Royal Highnesses the Prince Regent, and the Duke of York, then Commander-in-Chief, who never failed to reward merit in individuals or corps, was brought to their notice, and in May, 1812, the royal authority was given for this corps being styled the “EIGHTY-SIXTH, OR ROYAL COUNTY DOWN REGIMENT OF FOOT;” at the same time the facing was changed from yellow to blue, the lace from silver to gold; the Irish “HARP AND CROWN” was placed on the buttons, and the “HARP” was added to the distinctions displayed on the regimental colours. [Sidenote: 1813] In January, 1813, the regiment commenced its march from Madras for Goa, but when ascending the Pada-naig-droog Ghauts, it received orders to proceed to Vellore, where Lieutenants Jacob and Kirkland, Ensigns Munro, McLean, McQuarrie, Kennedy, and McLoughlin, with two hundred and seventeen soldiers, joined from England. Captain Impey, (brevet-major,) and Lieutenant White, died, in May, much regretted. At the end of August the regiment left Vellore, and marched through the Calistry country, a distance of four hundred miles, to the fort of Masulipatam. It was overtaken by the monsoon when on the march, near the Kistna river, and for several days the soldiers had to wade through the cotton-grounds, which occasioned much illness in the regiment, and the loss of several men after arriving in garrison at Masulipatam in October. [Sidenote: 1814] In the mean time the war with France was being prosecuted in Europe with the utmost vigour, and the strength of the EIGHTY-SIXTH being considerably above the establishment, in consequence of receiving volunteers from the militia, His Royal Highness the Prince Regent was pleased to order a _second battalion_ to be added to the regiment, in February, 1814, and to bear date from the 25th of December, 1813. The second battalion was formed at Hythe, under the superintendence of Major Baird; it consisted of four companies of fine soldiers, and in March they proceeded to Colchester, under orders to embark for Holland; but the abdication of Bonaparte, and the restoration of peace, precluded the necessity of their quitting England. The battalion returned to Hythe in October, and afterwards proceeded to Deal, where it was disbanded, two hundred and sixty officers and soldiers embarking for India to join the first battalion. Previous to this date, a detachment consisting of Captain Michael Creagh, Lieutenants Home and Perry, Ensigns Goold, Bradford, Caddell, Henry, and Moreton, had joined at Masulipatam, bringing the new regimental colours. [Sidenote: 1815] In January, 1815, the left wing marched, under the command of Captain Williams, for Hyderabad, to join the force subsidized by His Highness the Nizam, and arrived on the 2nd of February at the cantonment of Secunderabad.