St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1900-07-25
AMERICANS IN EDINBURG.

Abraham Lincoln, and hold ceremonies
in memory of the Scottish-American
soldiers who fell in the American civil
war This is the only spot on the glope
where Memorial day services are helu
regularly outside of the borders OF the
United States, and great interest at
tacbes to it on that account.
The ceremonies are in charge OF the
Tinted States consul in Edinburgh and
will this year be attended by hundreds
of Americans now tTayehng III the
British isles as well as many subjects
of the queen who are in hearty sympa-
thv with the United States. Hundreds
of floral tributes will be placed around
the statue, which has been thus decked
every year since it was unveiled on
Aug. 81, 1898.
While the statue was erected through
the efforts Of Wallace Bruce, the Unit
ed States consul at Edinburgh, and
by the generosity of well known citi-
zens of the United States, many of
whom were of Scottish descent, it is
practically unknown to most people in
that country. That regular ceremonies |
similar to those held in every cemetery
in the United States each year in men,
DRY of the heroes who fell in defense OF
the Union take place in this beautiful
old home of the dead just without the
walls of this historic old city, around
which the bitterest civil war of the
worlds history centered, is well
worthy of cognizance.
Like many another memorial to the
greatness of American institutions and
triumphs, this statue of the martyr
president was the outgroWth of a hum
BILE story, carried out by the good
will and the well earned dollars of men
who owe their fortune to the stability
of American institutions and the fulfill
ment of Lincon's ideas that the Union
should be one and indivisible.
In the summer of 1890 Mrs. McEwan,
widow of a Scottish-American soldier,
called on Mr.. Wallace Bruce, United
States consul at Edinburgh, to aid her
in securing a pension from the gov
eminent in Washington, as her hus-
band had recently died. The proper
proof was obtained and the pension
granted. One day when she called at
the consulate Mrs. Bruce CHANGED to be
present and became interested in her
story.
Mrs. McEWan told Mrs. Bruce how
she and her children had worked for
s shillings a week to keep husband
and father from the poorhouse and
gave, with singular pathos, the ac
count of his last illness; how he loved
to have the old gun near at hand
where he could touch it; how he told
the doctor on one of his last visits that
he had nothing to give him but his
sword, and the kind hearted doctor
replied that it was his business to save
life, not to take it. and that he wished
neither the sword nor any other recon-
pense but pleasant remembrance, and
the wife said, 1--WE will keep the sword
for the laddie." And at last, when the
poor soldier, after long months of suf-
fering, died, they found the gun I'M
der the coverlet beside him, pressed
close to his heart.
Mrs. Bruce asked where he was bur
led, that she might go with Mrs. Nc
Evan and place some flowers on his
grave, although Memorial day had
passed, but the widow answered, with
tears in her eyes: "The ground in the
common field is all level. could not
mark the spot. In fact, the next Sab
bath after his death | visited it with
the BARNS and we found another
mourning group had possession. An
other body was being buried in the
same grave"
This story, told in the beautiful bor-
der language of the Tweed and the
Yarrow, suggested to Consul Wallace
Bruce the idea of a burial place in
Edinburgh for Scottish-American sol
diers. He wrote to several American
friends and talked with others who Wis
tied at the consulate All heartily ap-
proved of the plan. Some time after
ward Mr.. Bruce was walking on the
banks of the Tweed near PEBBLES with
Lord Provost Russell of Edinburgh
He told McEWan's story and the fol
lowing day wrote letter to the lord
provost, magistrates and town council
asking for a plot in one of the city
cemeteries. The request was cordially
granted. 1t then occurred to the consul
that the spot should be marked with a
memorial worthy Of the site in the very
heart of the beautiful city.
Through Mr. Bruce's endeavors
enough money, about $4,000, was sub
scrbed in this country, and the statue
of LinNln was dedicated Aug. q, 1898.
Miss Bruce, who unveiled the monu-
ment was attired in a flowing white
costume. her hair encircled with a
band of gold, representing Columbia.
The monument was loudly cheered by
all present and the sculptor was COM
PEELED to bow his thanks and apprecia-
ton many times.
Consul Bruce in formally turning
over the monument to the custody of
the corporation of Edinburgh spoke of
the great civil wars of Scotland and
urged that the placing of the Lincoln
/ monument should be further tie be.
tween Great Britain and America.
The monument itself is work of art