Abraham Lincoln Statue in Edinburgh
While in Edinburgh last Friday I spent a little time visiting the Old Calton Cemetery where several notable people from Edinburgh are buried (more on this in tomorrow's blog).
Walking up the steps from Leith Walk, my attention was immediately drawn to a statue of Abraham Lincoln. On investigation this statue was mounted on top of a monument to the Scottish American soldiers who fought in the Union Army during the American Civil War.
The Scottish–American Soldiers Monument depicts a standing figure of Abraham Lincoln, with a freed slave giving thanks at his feet. A bronze shield bears the old US flag, and is wreathed in thistles to the left, and cotton to the right. Two regimental flags lie furled, the battle being over. The black man holds a book, indicating that he is not only free, he is also now educated.
This was the first statue to an American President in any country outwith the USA. It is the only statue of Lincoln in Scotland, and the only monument to the American Civil War outside of the USA. The monument was erected at American expense to a small group of Scots (only one of whom, William Duff, is buried under the monument, the rest being nearby) to whom it felt indebted, and wished their graves to be marked, despite their later poverty.
The inscription, "To preserve the jewel of liberty in the framework of Freedom" is a quotation from the writings of Abraham Lincoln.
Those interred and commemorated are:
1. Sergeant Major John McEwan, Company H, 65th Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry
2. Lt. Col. William L. Duff, 2nd Regiment Illinois Volunteer Light Artillery (died of wounds on return to Edinburgh)
3. Robert Steedman, Company E, 5th Regiment Maine Volunteer Infantry
4. James Wilkie, Company C, 1st Regiment Michigan Volunteer Cavalry
5. Robert Ferguson, Company F, 57th Regiment New York Volunteer Infantry
6. Alexander Smith, Company G, 66th Regiment New York Volunteer Infantry
History of the Scottish–American Soldiers Monument courtesy of Wikipedia
Image taken on Fujifilm Finepix X100S and Fujinon 23mm f2 lens
ALL IMAGES ARE THE PROPERTY OF MACLEAN PHOTOGRAPHIC AND CANNOT BE USED FOR ANY PURPOSE WITHOUT PRIOR PERMISSION
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Walking up the steps from Leith Walk, my attention was immediately drawn to a statue of Abraham Lincoln. On investigation this statue was mounted on top of a monument to the Scottish American soldiers who fought in the Union Army during the American Civil War.
The Scottish–American Soldiers Monument depicts a standing figure of Abraham Lincoln, with a freed slave giving thanks at his feet. A bronze shield bears the old US flag, and is wreathed in thistles to the left, and cotton to the right. Two regimental flags lie furled, the battle being over. The black man holds a book, indicating that he is not only free, he is also now educated.
This was the first statue to an American President in any country outwith the USA. It is the only statue of Lincoln in Scotland, and the only monument to the American Civil War outside of the USA. The monument was erected at American expense to a small group of Scots (only one of whom, William Duff, is buried under the monument, the rest being nearby) to whom it felt indebted, and wished their graves to be marked, despite their later poverty.
The inscription, "To preserve the jewel of liberty in the framework of Freedom" is a quotation from the writings of Abraham Lincoln.
Those interred and commemorated are:
1. Sergeant Major John McEwan, Company H, 65th Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry
2. Lt. Col. William L. Duff, 2nd Regiment Illinois Volunteer Light Artillery (died of wounds on return to Edinburgh)
3. Robert Steedman, Company E, 5th Regiment Maine Volunteer Infantry
4. James Wilkie, Company C, 1st Regiment Michigan Volunteer Cavalry
5. Robert Ferguson, Company F, 57th Regiment New York Volunteer Infantry
6. Alexander Smith, Company G, 66th Regiment New York Volunteer Infantry
History of the Scottish–American Soldiers Monument courtesy of Wikipedia
Image taken on Fujifilm Finepix X100S and Fujinon 23mm f2 lens
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ALL IMAGES ARE THE PROPERTY OF MACLEAN PHOTOGRAPHIC AND CANNOT BE USED FOR ANY PURPOSE WITHOUT PRIOR PERMISSION
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