The Argyll & Bute Militia was an auxiliary military unit in the west of Scotland from 1798 to 1909, serving in Home Defence during the French Revolutionary, Napoleonic, Crimean and Second Boer Wars.

[1][2] Following the restoration of Charles II, the Scottish Parliament passed an Act in 1661, ratified in 1663, creating a militia of 20,000 infantry and 2000 horse, available for Crown service anywhere in Scotland, England or Ireland.

During Argyll's Rising in 1685 King James II & VII ordered the disarming of many of the Scottish Militia for fear that they would join the rebel duke.

[2][3][4] Following the Union in 1707, during the War of the Spanish Succession, the Parliament of Great Britain passed an Act in 1708 to re-arm the Scottish Militia.

However, the Act was denied Royal assent because of fears that the new force would be disloyal (a Jacobite uprising in Scotland was expected to support the French invasion fleet that was then at sea).

In the aftermath of the Jacobite Rising of 1715 a Disarming Act was passed in Scotland and although the government-supporting Major-General John Campbell of Mamore (later 4th Duke of Argyll) raised the irregular Campbell of Argyll Militia against the Jacobite Rising of 1745 (the regiment serving at the Battle of Falkirk Muir, the Skirmish of Keith, and the Battle of Culloden) there was a reluctance to leave weapons in the hands of those who might rebel.

[9][13][14][15][16][17] During and after the Irish Rebellion of 1798 a number of British militia units volunteered for service in Ireland, and the Argyllshires served there until early 1800.

[19][20] During the summer of 1805, when Napoleon was massing his 'Army of England' at Boulogne for a projected invasion, the Argyll & Bute Militia with 524 men in 7 companies under Lt-Col Sir John Campbell was part of the garrison of Edinburgh Castle.

This process was halted when Napoleon's escape from Elba in 1815 led to the short Hundred Days campaign and the Battle of Waterloo, but was resumed thereafter; all militia units were disembodied by 1816.

Although officers continued to be commissioned into the militia and ballots were still held, the regiments were rarely assembled for training and the permanent staffs of sergeants and drummers were progressively reduced.

[12][24] The outbreak of the Crimean War in 1854 and the despatch of an expeditionary force led to the embodiment of the militia for home defence.

Younger, who had served with the Royal Horse Artillery in the 2nd Anglo-Afghan War, was appointed Lt-Col Commandant on 2 December 1893.

There were moves to reform all the Auxiliary Forces (Militia, Yeomanry and Volunteers) to take their place in the six Army corps proposed by St John Brodrick as Secretary of State for War.

[39][40] Under the more sweeping Haldane Reforms of 1908, the Militia was replaced by the Special Reserve, a semi-professional force whose role was to provide reinforcement drafts for Regular units serving overseas in wartime.

The officers' silver pouchbelt plate bore a design of St Andrew with his cross, surrounded by a crowned thistle wreath, with the regimental title on a scroll beneath.

[12] In 1862 the regiment adopted the normal Royal Artillery uniform of blue with red facings, but with silver instead of gold buttons[12] From 1895 to 1901 the officers wore the standard RA Sabretache and pouch embroidered with the Royal Arms and gun badge, with 'WEST OF SCOTLAND ARTILLERY' on a scroll beneath.

[10] Another ballot for precedence took place in 1803 at the beginning of the Napoleonic War, covering the whole of Great Britain, and this list remained in force until 1833.