The regiment was first raised by Colonel Sir John Gibson, who had served as the Lieutenant-Governor of Portsmouth, as Sir John Gibson's Regiment of Foot on 16 February 1694. It was posted to Newfoundland to protect the colony there, losing many of its men to the extreme cold. The regiment was disbanded in 1697, but reformed under the same colonel in 1702. Posted to the continent during the War of the Spanish Succession the regiment fought at the Battle of Elixheim in July 1705 and at Battle of Ramillies in May 1706. It was then sent to the Spain, losing over half its men at the Battle of Almansa in April 1707, and then took part in the capture of Vigo in October 1719 during the War of the Quadruple Alliance.