It served as a Special Reserve training unit in World War I, but after 1921 the militia had only a shadowy existence until its final abolition in 1953.

In time of war they would be called out by proclamation and by riders galloping through towns and villages bearing the 'Fiery Cross'.

[3][8][9][10][11] In view of the worsening international situation in late 1792 the English militia was embodied for service, even though Revolutionary France did not declare war on Britain until 1 February 1793.

This measure was unpopular and there were anti-militia riots in the west of the country, but Buccleuch ensured that paid substitutes would be available.

The 10th North British was marched in January 1802 from Glasgow to quarters in Musselburgh, Fisherrow and Inveresk, and sent its battalion guns to Leith Fort.

[3][20][c] In 1802 a new Act was passed, placing the Scottish militia on a permanent basis, to be manned by ballot from men aged 18–45 (paid substitutes were permitted), to serve for five years in Great Britain; peacetime training would be for 21 days.

[17][23] When they were embodied in 1803 the English and Scottish militia regiments were allocated places in a single order of precedence by drawing lots.

In November the regiment returned to Dalkeith, where temporary barracks were erected at nearby Lugton, with one company detached to Newbattle and one to Lasswade.

It was part of a militia brigade under Wauchope's command that also included the Berwickshire, Forfarshire and Dumfriesshire regiments at Musselburgh.

On July that year the regiment left Scotland for the first time, sailing from Leith to Harwich where it went into barracks before being stationed at Colchester for nine months.

There was an outbreak of Luddite machine-breaking in the English industrial districts, and in May the regiment was marched to Nottinghamshire, being quartered at Mansfield.

[4][32] The war having ended with the deposition and exile of Napoleon in 1814, the regiment was relieved in February 1815 and marched to Belfast where it embarked for Scotland.

In that year the King drew the lots for individual regiments and the resulting list remained in force with minor amendments until the end of the militia.

[16][24][36] It continued to appear in the Army Lists as the Edinburgh (County and City of) Militia, with HQ at Dalkeith.

Their role was to man coastal defences and fortifications, relieving the Royal Artillery (RA) for active service.

[16][37][39][41][42][43] The outbreak of the Crimean War in 1854 gave impetus to organising the reformed militia regiments.

The regiment was embodied for service on 12 February 1852 and the men were billeted throughout Dalkeith, with the officers at the Cross Keys Hotel.

[44][51][52][53][54] Although often referred to as brigades, the sub-districts were purely administrative organisations, but in a continuation of the Cardwell Reforms a mobilisation scheme began to appear in the Army List from December 1875.

In 1881 a fire destroyed the old wooden barracks at Glencorse that was occupied by the permanent staff and their families, but the involvement of the Fenians was ruled out.

The Boer leader Christiaan de Wet was operating in this area, and the battalion was ordered to cover the pioneer corps repairing the railway that he had damaged.

A British cavalry brigade contacted the Boers on 17 August and 3rd Royal Scots formed the advanced guard as Knox's column came up to join the engagement.

In October Knox's column left Heilbron to relieve a force besieged by de Wet at Frederikstad.

Knox continued harrying the Boers with his mounted troops while Col Grant was left to command the infantry, which was mainly employed in escorting the baggage train.

Lambert took part in the first organised 'Drive' towards the Modder River attempting to trap the Boers, and afterwards in Lieutenant-General Sir W. Eliot's movement eastwards from Winburg.

Major Lord Tewkesbury, who had just succeeded his father as Earl of Munster, was killed in an accident at Lace Mines on 2 February 1902.

There were moves to reform 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.

[61][62] Under the 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.

On 1 November 1917 it was transferred to the Highland Light Infantry as 51st (Graduated) Battalion, remaining in 191st Bde in 64th Division, but moving to Holt, Norfolk.

[17][44][64] From its formation in 1798 the regiment wore red uniforms with yellow facings, giving rise to its nickname 'The Duke's Canaries'.

The officers' waistbelt plates 1855–81 carried the star of the Thistle in silver with a green enamel backing to the centre and the regimental title on the circle.