The regiment was raised in Dublin by Major-General William Crosbie as the 89th Regiment of Foot, in response to the threat posed by the French Revolution, on 3 December 1793. The regiment was sent to join the Duke of York's army in the Netherlands in summer 1794 as part of the unsuccessful defence of that country against the Republican French during the Flanders Campaign. It was posted to Ireland and, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Lord Blayney, it saw action at the Battle of Vinegar Hill in June 1798 during the rebellion. The regiment became known for its perseverance in hunting down Irish rebels earning the nickname "Blayney's Bloodhounds". It was posted to Malta in 1800 and arrived in Egypt in March 1801 for service in the Egyptian Campaign. It saw action at the Battle of Alexandria later that month at the Siege of Cairo in April 1801.