When the French expedition under General Humbert landed in Ireland in July, 1798, the QUEEN'S ROYAL marched to Tuam, where the army assembled. After the surrender of General Humbert, the regiment returned to Phillipstown, and wintered in Kilkenny, where they were brigaded with the Twenty-ninth regiment, under Major-General Peter Hunter. [Sidenote: 1799] In the early part of the following year, the brigade, with some guns, marched to Tullamore and to Phillipstown, to be ready in case of a rising in that part of the country: this, although apprehended, did not take place, and in six weeks the brigade returned to Kilkenny, and in June the QUEEN'S moved from thence to Cork, and encamped at Monkstown. In the month of July, the regiment embarked for England, landed at Southampton, and marched to the camp on Barham Downs, near Canterbury, where it was recruited by volunteers from the militia; and with the Twenty-seventh, Twenty-ninth, and Eighty-fifth regiments, it formed the third brigade of the army commanded by Major-General Coote. With this brigade, to which the Sixty-ninth regiment was afterwards added, it served during the expedition to Holland, and was engaged with the enemy at the Helder, on the 27th of August, 1799, when the army commanded by Sir Ralph Abercrombie made good its landing, in defiance of great natural obstacles at the point of debarkation, and also made an advanced movement, in opposition to every exertion on the part of an active enemy, to prevent it. A detail of this gallant exploit states, 'the first success of this day was principally owing to General Coote's brigade, and the advance, consisting of the 23rd and 55th regiments, commanded by Colonel Macdonald, who, instead of waiting the attacks of the enemy, advanced on every occasion to meet them.' These brave efforts cost the British forces a loss of about 500 men. In subsequent operations, during this arduous expedition, the QUEEN'S ROYAL had the honour of contributing a full portion of its services, and was present when his Royal Highness the Duke of York, in Command of the Anglo-Russian forces, on the 2nd of October, 1799, gained a decided victory at Egmont-op-Zee, over a numerous army opposed to him on that occasion. Alluding to this action, his Royal Highness observes, 'Under Divine Providence, this signal victory, obtained over the enemy, is to be ascribed to the animated and persevering exertions which have been at all times the characteristics of the British soldier, and which, on no occasion, were ever more eminently displayed; nor has it often fallen to the lot of any general to have such just cause of acknowledgment for distinguished support.'