The regiment occupied quarters in Sussex, in 1765, and was removed to Northampton and Leicestershire in 1766; at the same time, the DRUMMERS on the establishment were directed to be replaced by TRUMPETERS.
From Leicestershire, &c., the regiment was removed to York in May, 1767, and to Scotland in the spring of 1768, but returned to England in the early part of 1769, and was quartered in Warwickshire.
In April, 1770, the regiment marched into Dorsetshire and Somersetshire; in June, 1771, it was removed to Canterbury, and employed on coast duty until April, 1772, when it marched into Northamptonshire, Leicestershire, and Lincolnshire. In the spring of 1773 it commenced its march for Scotland, where it was stationed during the succeeding twelve months.
Returning to England in the summer of 1774, the regiment was stationed in Lancashire; in 1775 it was removed into Worcestershire and Staffordshire; in 1776 it was employed on revenue duty on the Sussex coast; and in 1777 it was engaged in similar duties on the coasts of Norfolk and Suffolk.
In the summer of 1778 the QUEEN'S OWN dragoons were encamped near Bury St. Edmunds, together with three other regiments of dragoons and two battalions of militia, under the command of Major-General Warde.
Lieut.-General Sir George Howard, C.B., was removed in April, 1779, to the first dragoon guards, and King George III. conferred the command of the QUEEN'S OWN dragoons on Major-general Sir Henry Clinton, K.B.
An augmentation had, in the mean time, been made to the strength of the regiment, in consequence of the American war; and in April, 1779, the men, equipped as light dragoons, were incorporated, with detachments from the second, third, fifteenth, and sixteenth, into a regiment, which was numbered the twenty-first light dragoons.
Soon after this event the SEVENTH dragoons marched to Scotland, where they remained two years, and on their arrival in England, in May, 1781, they were quartered at Durham. In the summer of 1782 they were removed to Salisbury, and in 1783 to Newbury.
The great usefulness of light cavalry had been fully proved during the reign of King George II., and also during the American war; and after the conclusion of a treaty of peace in 1783, the QUEEN'S OWN dragoons underwent a change of clothing and equipment;--the cocked hats were replaced by helmets; boots, saddles, belts, and other articles of equipment, of a light construction, were adopted; carbines of a smaller size than those before used, were received; the standard height for men and horses was reduced; and the regiment was constituted a corps of LIGHT DRAGOONS.