[Sidenote: 1764] In the spring of 1764 the regiment quitted the West Indies, arrived in England in July of that year, and commenced recruiting its diminished numbers. [Sidenote: 1765] [Sidenote: 1768] After the decease of Lieut.-General Duroure, King George III. conferred, on the 23d of January, 1765, the colonelcy of the regiment on the Hon. Robert Brudenell, from the sixteenth foot; who was succeeded, on the 7th of November, 1768, by Lieut.-General Studholme Hodgson, from the fifth foot. [Sidenote: 1773] [Sidenote: 1774] In 1768, the KING'S OWN proceeded to Scotland, where they were stationed during the four succeeding years, but returned to England in the spring of 1773, and remained on home service until the following year, when they were again ordered to hold themselves in readiness to proceed abroad. The war in which the regiment was about to engage was of a most important character, involving the destinies of millions, and was followed by the construction of a new and powerful state in the world. As the population of the British North American colonies increased, and the inhabitants beheld their own rising power and importance, the idea of their country eventually becoming a great and independent empire would doubtless frequently occur; and while contemplating such an event, men would naturally become impatient of their condition: hence the delight produced by the anticipation of future greatness would prepare the minds of men for a change. That these states should become independent so early as the eighteenth century could, however, scarcely have been expected; but this event was hastened by the system of policy pursued towards the colonies by the British government, which alienated the affections of the inhabitants from the mother country. The disputes which resulted from these proceedings, and the spirit which the colonists evinced to resist the acts of the British parliament for raising a revenue in their country, took a most serious turn in the years 1773 and 1774; a body of troops was in consequence sent to Boston, the place which had been the scene of the greatest outrages, and the KING'S OWN, being one of the corps selected to proceed to North America, embarked for that service on the 17th of April, 1774. After landing at Boston the KING'S OWN were encamped for some time near the town; and the violent revolutionary spirit which many of the colonists displayed, occasioned a detachment of the regiment to be sent during the winter to Marshfield, for the protection of a number of the friends of the government in that town and neighbourhood. [Sidenote: 1775]