In August 1756, after the loss of Minorca in the Seven Years' War, the 23rd Regiment of Foot, together with 14 other regiments was ordered to raise a 2nd Battalion, which it did while in Leicester. On 22 April 1758 the 2nd battalion was separated from the 23rd regiment as a new regiment and ranked as the 68th in order of precedence with the appointment of a new colonel as Lambton's Regiment of Foot or the 68th Regiment of foot. (The practice of referring to regiments by their colonel's name was gradually going out of fashion, being replaced by the regiments' order of precedence.)