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The effective strength on January 1st 1867 was 38 officers, 47 sergeants and 853 rank and file (including drummers); making 938 of all ranks.
The long march to Rawal Pindi was made in stages of 10 or 12 miles mostly, the battalion usually starting about 3 a.m. and pitching camp during the morning. The camp-colour men and married people marched each evening in advance of the main body, "the former to lay out the lines of the camp, the latter to be out of the way of the regiment." On approaching [[Umballa ]] the 88th was met by the band of the 94th (their destined 2nd Battalion in 1881), who played them in. Rawal Pindi was finally reached on February 25th. The regiment was inspected there on March 28th by General Haly, C.B., commanding the Peshawar Division.
From May to October 1867, Head-quarters and five companies (A, G, H, I and K) were stationed between Murree and Abbottabad, under Major Mauleverer, for the construction of a hill road. This was a voluntary duty, non-commissioned officers and men being given the option of going to the hills and working for a certain number of hours a day at specified rates of extra pay or of remaining with the regiment. Three hundred and ninety-three non-commissioned officers and men volunteered out of the whole regiment, and were thus employed for about five months. Their health was extremely good during the time. Ordinary workmen received six annas per diem for six hours' work, and miners one rupee per diem for ten hours.
At Fort Attock C and E Companies were relieved by H and K Companies early in February and rejoined Head-quarters on the 5th.
On March 3rd 1869, Shere Ali, Ameer of Afghanistan, entered British territory on a State visit to the Viceroy. He was received with due ceremony at Peshawar on the 4th, thence proceeding after a few days to meet the Viceroy, the Earl of Mayo, at [[Umballa]]. The 88th marched to [[Peshawar]] on March 1st to take part at the reception of the [[Ameer]], returning to [[Nowshera]] on the 9th.
There was during that season, it may be mentioned incidentally, a good deal of fever at Nowshera, and a great part of the regiment suffered from it, but the epidemic was not serious.
