The 1st Battalion marched on February 1 and 2, 1839, by wings, from the Tower to Paddington, and thence proceeded by Railway to Windsor, where they were quartered in the Infantry barracks. On March 11 and 12 the left wing of the Battalion marched from Windsor and arrived at Weedon on the 15th; and they were followed by the right wing and Head-quarters which left Windsor on the 18th and arrived at Weedon on the 22nd. In consequence of the disturbed state of the country, detachments were furnished by the Battalion to aid the Civil power, to Birmingham, Nottingham and Warwick; the two former continuing detached (with occasional reliefs) for about a year; the latter from July till December. During the chartist disturbances the detachment at Birmingham was on more than one occasion called out to disperse the mob. Rioting having more or less continued from the 4th to the 8th July, the detachment was called out on the latter evening, and took their station in the Bull-ring. Here fighting with the police took place, and the mob, having got the worst of it, assembled in the Holloway road. The Riflemen were ordered to disperse them, and were pelted with stones. Then an order to load and to make ready was given; but fortunately before they fired, the 4th Dragoon Guards arrived and dispersed the people, taking many prisoners. A few days later similar harassing services were required of them. On July 15 a mob assembled in the evening, in the Bull-ring, and attacked the houses of several citizens and tradesmen and set some of them on fire. The mob would not let engines approach, and compelled the firemen, under pain of death, to take off their horses and retreat. At this moment a party of 200 Riflemen made their appearance (accompanied by a magistrate), and under their escort the firemen brought up, and worked their engines; while the 4th Dragoon Guards charged the people and cleared the streets. Among the parties sent out to clear the neighbouring streets was one consisting of a section commanded by Sergeant Robert Macdonald. It was arduous work, for the mob assailed them with stones and every description of missiles. The men became so exasperated under this provocation (for some were severely hurt) that they could hardly be restrained from retaliating by attacking their assailants with their swords, which were fixed on their rifles. Sergeant Macdonald did what he could to prevent mischief; but in the tumult one or two persons were killed or died of wounds, and several were wounded. A coroner’s inquest, however, returned a verdict of ‘justifiable homicide,’ thereby exonerating Macdonald, who was amenable as having been in command at this post, from all blame.[189]