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After doing some more research I came across this in the archives,

What we can now say is as well as working as a labourer he was also doing evangelical work and preaching during his time in Scotland.

This article also suggests he could have been a slave or his parents maybe were.

It is also worth noting that I was told that there were land records where Edward Haig (caroline his mother was listed) had some land in South Carolina.

I can't seem to find anything about his mother or trace any records of her in South Carolina around the time he was born

Not sure why you think Edward Haig was "in a disabled veterans home under alias Edward Higgs."
In 1900 census he's clearly listed as Edward Haig- click on 'image' to see actual page-
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MMF1-WVJ

Sorry for late reply - I have found numerous records on ancestry where his name is Edward Haig Alias Higgs. Wonder why he had an Alias

Hi everyone

Thank you for your research and help on this as you can see it is a fascinating story.

I have been able to find out plenty about Edward and Wihelmina's children thanks to ancestry and cousin matches I have also.

The newspaper articles found are a great find I am wondering if this John Mcewan is related to his mother in some way?

Hi

I am struggling to solve a mystery within my tree

Edward Haig was born in South Carolina in 1844 - it shows on census and later military records he was a black man and served in the USCT regiment. Sometime before 1870 he found his way to Scotland and married a Scottish woman. They had children and after her death, he returned to America and was in a disabled veterans home under alias Edward Higgs. I potentially think he could have deserted in 1860s and that is when he ran away to Scotland.

Would this have been possible in Scotland during this time? I am intrigued by how he would've been accepted into society in Glasgow during this time. He could have been what they called in America "Passing" or maybe he was mixed race. I can't find out any more information about his parents and I think potentially one of his parents could have been slaves. His mother may have been called Caroline McEwan. 

I have found this fascinating and have hit a wall with research. I would love to know more about how he ended up in Scotland, his time in Scotland being a person of colour during this time and his life in the military.

Thank you