The 81st regiment (Invalids) was numbered the 71st regiment. ” 82nd ” ” ” 72nd ” ” 116th ” ” ” 73rd ” ” 117th ” ” ” 74th ” ” 118th ” ” ” 75th ” The 71st, 72nd, 73rd, 74th, and 75th regiments, thus numbered, were formed into independent companies of Invalids in the year 1769, which increased the number of Invalid Companies from eight to twenty; they were appropriated to the following garrisons, namely four companies at Guernsey, four at Jersey, three at Hull, two at Chester, two at Tilbury Fort, two at Sheerness, one at Landguard Fort, one at Pendennis, and one in the Scilly Islands. These numerical titles became thus extinct until October, 1775, when the seventy-first regiment was raised. In December, 1777, further augmentations were made to the army, and the regiments which were directed to be raised, were numbered from the seventy-second to the eighty-third regiment. The army was subsequently increased to one hundred and five regular regiments of infantry, exclusive of eleven unnumbered regiments, and thirty-six independent companies of Invalids. The conclusion of the general peace in 1783, occasioned the disbandment of several regiments (commencing with the seventy-first regiment), and thus changed the numerical titles of certain regiments retained on the reduced establishment of the army. In 1786 the SEVENTY-THIRD was directed to be numbered the seventy-first regiment; the seventy-eighth to be numbered the seventy-second; and the second battalion of the forty-second to be constituted the SEVENTY-THIRD regiment. These corps had been directed to be raised in Scotland in 1777 and 1779, and were denominated Highland regiments. The details of the services of the present SEVENTY-THIRD regiment are contained in the following pages; the histories of the seventy-first and seventy-second regiments are given in distinct numbers. 1851 HISTORICAL RECORD OF THE SEVENTY-THIRD REGIMENT; ORIGINALLY RAISED AS THE SECOND BATTALION OF THE FORTY-SECOND ROYAL HIGHLAND REGIMENT. [Sidenote: 1779] [Sidenote: 1780] The present SEVENTY-THIRD regiment was authorised, on the 30th of July 1779, to be raised as the _Second Battalion of the Forty-second Royal Highlanders_, and was embodied at Perth, on the 21st of March 1780. Its establishment consisted of one lieut.-colonel (and captain), one major (and captain), eight captains, twelve lieutenants, eight ensigns, one chaplain, one adjutant, one quarter-master, one surgeon, one mate, thirty serjeants, forty corporals, twenty drummers, two pipers, and seven hundred private men. Soon after its formation, the battalion marched to Fort George to be drilled and disciplined, and in the course of the year was ordered to proceed to England for embarkation for India, where events had occurred which occasioned reinforcements to be sent to that country.