The Depôt companies marched from Cavan on March 23, and arrived at Drogheda on the 25th sending a Captain’s detachment to Dundalk, another to Trim, and a small party to Kilcock. On May 4 they marched to Naas, the detachment from Dundalk having previously rejoined; but the other detachments remained out, and a party was also detached to Robertstown. On August 8 the Depôt companies marched from Naas to Dublin, and occupied George Street barracks; but they returned to their former quarters at Drogheda, on October 14 sending out detachments to Swords and Garristown. On January 10, 11 and 13 the Service companies of the 2nd Battalion embarked at the Cove of Cork, on board the ‘Vibilia,’ ‘Cato,’ and ‘Sovereign,’ transports, for Malta where they arrived on February 22; and were placed, four companies in the Lazaretto and two companies (Head-quarters) in Fort Manuel under quarantine. On receiving pratique they removed to Fort St. Elmo; where they were quartered, with detachments at Fort Manuel, Fort Tigné, and a company at Gozo. During the general election in this year a company from the Depôt of the 2nd Battalion under Captain Ferguson, stationed at Tralee, were called out on June 24, in consequence of a riot and attack on some of Lord Ventry’s tenantry. The Riflemen were ordered to fire, and five of the rioters were killed and thirteen wounded, many of them dangerously. At an inquest held on two of the persons killed, a father and son named Sullivan, a verdict was returned that the order to fire was ‘unjustifiable and unnecessary.’[185] I do not know whether any further proceedings were taken; but the conduct of the Riflemen was approved by the Duke of York, Commander in Chief; and Sir Herbert Taylor, then Military Secretary, states in a letter dated July 14, that ‘The cool and determined conduct of Captain Ferguson, and the detachment of the Rifle Brigade under his orders at Tralee, appears, from the reports made to His Royal Highness, to have been deserving of his entire approbation, which he desires may be communicated to them.’ On January 27, 1827, Major-General Sir Thomas Sidney Beckwith, K.C.B., who had so long served in the Regiment, and had so gallantly led it in many a hard-fought field, was restored to its roll as Colonel Commandant of the 2nd Battalion, Sir Andrew Barnard becoming Colonel of the 1st Battalion by the death of the Honourable Sir William Stewart, at his residence, Cumloden, Kirkcudbright, on January 7. On July 27, the Service companies of the 1st Battalion moved from the South to the North barracks at Halifax, and furnished detachments to Annapolis, Prince Edward’s Island, Windsor, Cape Breton, and York redoubt. The Depôt companies of this Battalion marched from Drogheda on October 9 to Dublin, and on their arrival there were quartered in George Street barracks.