As Lord Elcho he was commanding officer of the
London Scottish Rifles Volunteers regiment for 17 years from its formation in 1859, gaining the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. He is credited with the design of the Elcho
sword bayonet, which saw limited use in the
Ashanti campaign of 1895-6. Charteris was a member of the
Canterbury Association from 27 March 1848, and belonged to the management committee. He developed an interest in the alternative medical practice of
Homeopathy, even becoming President of the
London Homeopathic Hospital until his death. The strength of his belief is evidenced by his writing in March 1914: I wish all success to Homoeopathy, to which I attach my physical well-being in great measure. When I was 90 I was asked to what I attributed my well-being at that late period of life. My answer was, "To parentage and moderation". I should have added "AND HOMOEOPATHY," with which I have been treated since I was 20. Between 1836 and 1866, he was trustee of the
National Portrait Gallery. Upon his father's death in 1883, he succeeded to the Earldom of Wemyss and March. Prior to then he was known as Lord Elcho. From 1881 to 1901, he was
aide-de-camp to
Queen Victoria, followed by
aide-de-camp to King
Edward VII from 1901 to 1910. He also held the office of
Deputy Lieutenant of Haddington and Selkirk. File:Lordelcho.jpg|Lord Elcho File:10th Earl of Wemyss.png|Lord Elcho by
Carlo Pellegrini, 1870. ==Personal life==