He was promoted lieutenant in 1839 and captain in 1846. He served with the regiment at Gibraltar, the West Indies and North America before transferring to the 7th Dragoon Guards in 1849. In 1854 he was in the Crimea as Aide-de-Camp to Lord Lucan, commander of the cavalry division. After being present at the battles of Alma, Balaclava, and Inkerman, he was transferred aboard ship as ADC to Lord George Paulet and was present aboard HMS "Bellerophon" for the naval attack on Sebastopol. He was awarded the Crimea Medal with four clasps, the Turkish medal, and the Order of the Medjidie (fifth class).