American Civil War Scots to be honoured

FOR the first time since the fighting ended 142 years ago, a memorial will take place in the Capital for Scottish soldiers who died in the American Civil War.

The American Consulate General in Edinburgh will attend the ceremony at the Abraham Lincoln memorial in the Old Calton cemetery - believed to be the only one of its kind outside the US. Organisers hope the event will become an annual occasion.

Between 150,000 and 500,000 Scots are thought to have died during the American Civil War, which lasted from 1861 to 1865.

The ceremony in Edinburgh, on July 21, will mark the anniversary of the Battle of Bullrun in 1861.

It is being organised by the Reverend Dr Bill Mackie, a formerly of the Gordon Highlanders and a member of the city history group the One O'Clock Gun Association.

He said: "We're still looking into exactly who took part and whether any regiments from the Edinburgh area were there.

"I've made contact with the commanding officer of the 79th Volunteers in New York (who fought during the war) and he is having his historian research the Scots who were there.

"We are looking for any descendants who know of family members who died to come along as well.

"We want to highlight the number of Scots who fought, and died, on both sides. It wasn't just Americans against Americans."

"It all helps us find out more about events during the civil war.

Standard bearers from the US consulate and the Gordon Highlanders will be present, and Lieutenant General Sir Peter Graham, a former Commanding Officer at Craigiehall, is also expected to attend.

The city's new Lord Provost and Scotland's First Minister will both be invited, as well as Donald Cameron, the Clan Chief of Cameron.

Scottish soldiers took part on both the Confederate and Union sides.

Although most would have been members of the Cameron Highlanders who had emigrated to New York following the Highland Clearances, it is thought many other from cities like Edinburgh would have travelled to the US to fight.

One of the soldiers named on the Lincoln memorial is Sergeant Major John McEwan, who returned to Edinburgh following the war but died soon after from his injuries.

The American Consulate General in Edinburgh at the time recognised that the widow of Sgt Major McEwan, who served in the 65th Illinois Voluntary Infantry, needed help with funeral costs.

George Robinson, secretary of the One O'Clock Gun Association, said: "It is fascinating finding out about the links we have in Edinburgh to some of these battles.

"These ceremonies are all about trying to raise awareness of the history we have in the city and trying to get people to take an interest in it."

The Facts

Edinburgh's Lord Provost at the time donated a plot in the Calton cemetery, which the US consul then made the Lincoln memorial, created in 1893. Then, it was the only such monument outside the US.

Also named on the memorial are Lieutenant Colonel William Duff, of the 2nd Illinois Regiment of Artillery, Robert Steedman, of the 5th Maine Infantry Volunteers, James Wilkie, of the 1st Michigan Cavalry and Robert Ferguson, of the 57th Regiment of the New York Infantry Volunteers.

The name of Sergeant Alexander Smith was added in 1993 after research from the Abraham Lincoln Memorial Society revealed he had taken part as a member of G Group, from the 66th Regiment of the New York Volunteer Infantry.

However, it is thought that only McEwan and Smith are actually buried there.

The war was won by the Union side, led by President Abraham Lincoln, and led to the end of slavery in the US.