In December the Duke of Gloucester was promoted to the rank of major-general, and appointed colonel of the third foot guards; at the same time the colonelcy of the THIRTEENTH foot was conferred on Major-General the Honorable James Murray, from colonel-commandant in the sixtieth regiment. [Sidenote: 1768] After remaining in England upwards of five years, the THIRTEENTH were ordered to transfer their services to Ireland, where they arrived in August, 1768, and were stationed in that part of the United Kingdom seven months. [Sidenote: 1769] In March, 1769, the regiment embarked for the island of Minorca. [Sidenote: 1775] [Sidenote: 1776] When the American war commenced, in 1775, the regiment was performing garrison duty at Port Mahon; it was relieved, soon afterwards by a battalion of Hanoverians, which had been taken into British pay, and returned to England, where it arrived in February, 1776. [Sidenote: 1778] In the summer of 1778, the regiment was encamped near Plymouth, with four battalions of militia, under Lieut.-General Parker. [Sidenote: 1779] [Sidenote: 1780] The regiment was encamped, in 1779, at Rye; and, in 1780, pitched its tents at Dorking. [Sidenote: 1781] Meanwhile the American war had been continued; France and Spain had taken part in the contest, in favour of the colonists; and an English armament had captured several French islands in the West Indies. The enemy sent a powerful force to recapture the lost possessions; and, in 1781, the THIRTEENTH received orders to proceed to the Leeward Islands, to augment the British force in that part of His Majesty’s dominions. [Sidenote: 1782] Soon after the regiment arrived in the West Indies, hostilities were terminated; the British Monarch acceded to the independence of the United States, and a treaty of peace was concluded. This change occasioned the regiment to return to England in 1782. In this year, the THIRTEENTH foot received directions to assume the title of the FIRST SOMERSETSHIRE REGIMENT, and, in order to facilitate the procuring of recruits, to cultivate a connection between that county and the regiment. [Sidenote: 1783] The army was reduced in 1783, when the regiment was placed upon a peace establishment. [Sidenote: 1784] In the spring of 1784, the regiment embarked for Ireland, where it was quartered during the succeeding six years. [Sidenote: 1789] On the 5th of June, 1789, General the Honorable James Murray was removed to the twenty-first foot, or Royal North British Fusiliers, and His Majesty conferred the colonelcy of the THIRTEENTH regiment on Major-General George Ainslie, from the lieut.-colonelcy of the fifteenth light dragoons. [Sidenote: 1790]