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Hello, I am looking for an Edward McDonald, born in Ireland (maybe Belfast) around 1828 to 1833 and lived in Ederny, Northern Ireland. His brother and sister were still living in Ederny around 1905. If this might be the same person, I can be reached at [email protected]. This is some of the information I have from newspaper articles:
MR. MCDONALD RETURNED FROM THE GREEN ISLE - VISITED OLD IRELAND AFTER SIXTY YEARS ABSENCE. BROTHER AND SISTER DID NOT RECOGNIZE
Mr. Edward McDonald, one of the oldest and best known residents of Marietta has just returned from a trip to his old home in Ederny, Ireland. He left home when a boy, fourteen years of age and has not been back until this summer. Mr. McDonald sailed from New York on May the 6th on the White Star Line steamer, "Baltic" and landed in Liverpool on the 16th of May. On the trip across the ocean, the "Baltic" passed by Belfast, Ireland and Mr. McDonald saw the White Star Liner, "Olympic" in her dock just before her maiden voyage. The "Olympic" is the largest ship afloat and cost ten million dollars. Mr. McDonald found his old home without any trouble, and his older brother and two sisters still living there. They had not seen him in sixty years. He asked his brother if he could get a few days lodging and was finally allowed to stay. He remained in the house two days without letting his brother and sisters know who he was. Finally his brother noticed that he used his left hand and told him he resembled "Ed" and that "Ed" was left handed too. Mr. McDonald replied that since his brother had been so good at guessing who he was, he would take him up to London to see the coronation of King George (the 5th June 22, 1911), and QUEEN Mary (Victoria Mary of Teck). The invitation was accepted and after the two brothers had returned from London, Mr. McDonald remained in Ederny about two weeks before sailing home. Mr. McDonald came to the United States in 1856 and landed in New York where he resided until the war between the states broke out. He joined the Union Army and fought through out the war in the Third Delaware Regiment under command of Major Baily. He was wounded in the battle of Gettysburg. Mr. McDonald has served the city of Marietta in several official capacities. He was city marshal from 1878 to 1882. From 1882 until 1888, he was jail keeper and during that time, he never lost a prisoner. After getting out of jail, as he expresses it, he was night watchman for four years. Mr. McDonald fought in the Crimean Wars with the English troops and was in the battle of Inkerman, Techernan and Sebastopol. He is one of the few men living today who saw the "charge of the Light Brigade" from the heights of Blacklava. When the Civil War in America began, Mr. McDonald came over and joined the Federal Army. He was at Gettysburg at the dreadful charge of General Pickett's Brigade.
EDWARD MCDONALD VETERAN OF THE CIVIL WARS AT HOME IN Marietta
Before you hear his brogue, or hear his name, you will know he is Irish by the twinkle of his blue eyes and the good humor of his face. He has lived in Marietta many years, a quiet whole industrious worker in humble but responsible positions where fidelity counts. He was born in Belfast 76 years ago and had sailed 76,000 miles in a ship of the British Navy before he was out of his teens. He was only sixteen years old when The Crimean War began (1853)and he went to it as a member of the hospital corps. He was on the scene when the "Charge of the Light Brigade" thrilled the world and helped to bear the torn and bleeding survivors from the field. His eyes were misty and his voice sank to a shaken whisper as he told me of the Angel of Arimea, Florence Nightingale. "Oh, but the soldiers worshiped her! She was just a plain good woman but only the Lord knows the good she did putting hearts into the poor wounded boys after that desperate charge." In answer to details about that awful event of war, Mr. McDonald said Blacklava is a hard locked harbor of the Black Sea and the historic heights so celebrated in song and story are really no more than hills, nothing like as big as either one of Kennesaw Mountains. These hills had troops on them with guns pointing towards the narrow pass through which the English Cavalry.... The famous six hundred charges they struck their spurs into their horses and held them there and the poor beast, blind with pain and fear dashes between the cross fire from the two batteries. They went through the pass and came back under the hail of shot and pitiful remnant. Mr. McDonald spoke in connection of Sir Cohn Campbell, Lord Cardigan and Captain Nolan. But their connection with the dreadful campaign in the Crimean is historical. "What did the charge of the Light Brigade accomplish?". He said, "Well, Ma'am, it kept the Russians from reaching our supplies but an earthquake rumbled around and out into the sea and destroyed seventeen transports filled with clothing, food, etc. for the French and British troops."More....
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