So short a span of carefree love, then one day George brought word his regiment was being transferred [Editor's note - probably to Edinburgh castle, near Ayton - see the regiment history page]. Not enough time left to change their plans and speed up the wedding. Just moments to talk of the future.

Plans, plans and more plans, made and changed and made again.

The final plans were of course that George had to go with his regiment. Hannah would go to him later. He would get permission from his commanding officer to marry. He would publish the banns. When all was ready and she came he would meet her at the boat with the clergyman and witnesses for the marriage.

Hannah, with starry eyes, told him a hurried good-bye. Then watched him disappear through dimming tears.

As the time approached for her departure all was hustle and bustle at the Shaw home. She was to meet George at Ayton, Berwichshire, Scotland. This was a little town on the Scot and English border. Not knowing the exact sailing time some one must go to the docks to find out.

Hannah had a cousin who was in love with her and the possibility of them marrying had for years been taken for granted by the family. All had wondered how he would take the fact that Hannah loved someone else and was not going to marry him. He it was who volunteered to find out when the boat sailed for Ayton.

The family breathed a sigh of relief. There would be no trouble from him.

He was accepting her decisions in a manly way. But little can any one tell of the workings of a human mind, by the actions of the person.

Fate was busy spinning her web to tangle up a few lives. The sailing time was duly reported. Bags and chests were packed, labeled and strapped. The last flurry of tearful good-byes to friends and neighbors still floated in the air as the family hurriedly wended their way to the wharf where all was noise and confusion.

Picking their way through the loaded carts and milling people they came to the pier where she was to go board, only to find the birth empty. To their utter consternation upon investigation they found the boat had already sailed. Her cousin had given the wrong sailing time, whether as a last hope of getting Hannah or as an gesture of revenge who could say.

But what of Hannah? She stood as one stunned, full of dismay and bewilderment, not knowing what to do. She was chagrined when her thoughts came to George.

How terrible for him, meeting a boat with his minister and witnesses and finding no bride.

Not long could circumstances keep her gloomy and despondent. Her happy, courageous spirit sprang back like a new day full of promise and a bright future.

She knew what she must do. She would take the next boat sailing to Ayton.

She was not daunted to find it was a freighter loaded with cattle. That just appealed to her adventurous spirit. Nothing prosaic and commonplace about a bride sailing to meet her lover on a boat loaded with mooing, bawling cows and calves. What a sight she'd be, a Scottish lass surrounded by the shaggy critters from her beloved highlands.

So arrangements were made for her to sail. Hannah went on board in the Captain's care, accompanied by her mother's love, fears and anxieties. But she was buoyed up by her love and trust in George. Surely he would realize that something unavoidable had happened to make her miss the planned on boat. Doubts nibbled at her thoughts but were quickly driven back. Of course, she could find him. He would not have been moved again.

In the meantime George did meet the boat surrounded by the best man, fellow officers and wives. In fact, the entire wedding party was to be the welcoming party.

George was overwhelmed when no Hannah appeared. Questions and doubts flooded his heart and mind, but love conquered. Good judgment, of which he was blessed with plenty, came to his aid and hope assured him that what ever had happened to detain Hannah was not of her making and it would not be long before she came to him. After expressing sympathy and a great deal of light hearted bantering and teasing, George found himself alone on the wharf, free to check the arrival schedule of all ships clocking at Ayton from the north for the next few days. He had firmly decided to meet each one until Hannah came.

When Hannah, standing at the deck rail sailed through the dock, she saw George waiting all alone for her coming. She could hardly wait for the ship to be maneuvered into shore and the gangplank lowered into place.

How the questions and answers flew back and forth between them and all doubts were quickly cleared away.

George took her and her baggage to the chapel of the United Presbyterian Church, while he showed her their permit to marry and told her that the banns had been read.

Hannah waited at the church while George found the Reverend who in turn called a Divinity student from his study and George signaled his buddy. Then in the peace and quietness of the cool church, held in the subdued light of the stained glass window, Reverend James Stark performed the ceremony that united them in marriage. Signing the certificate at the register as their witnesses were Mathew dark, Sergeant of the 176th Regiment, and John Stark, student of Divinity in Ayton Bewichshire, Scotland. This wonderful day, which was cherished and remembered all their lives, was November 18, 1847.

Perhaps George's wedding picture