From William Wallace to the American shores

Long ago, there was a great hero, named William Wallace, of Scottish history fame. You may all know him better as Braveheart. He fought hard, for the freedom of his country, and gave his life for it.
During the ongoing struggle, with the English power of the day, he was reported, to have hidden from the enemy soldiers, in the branches of a mighty, ancient oak tree. This now, legandary oak was called, the Torwood Wallace Oak, an important landmark, in Scotland down through time. Unfortunately, the once great, and monstrous tree, was but, a stump, by the 1800's, and nothing, of it today remains.
Down through the years, it had been whittled at, by tourist, and those that felt the need, to possess are part of the history, to carry into their own homes. The human urge, that these bits would, somehow draw their own lives closer, to the bravery and intellect, as well as the honour and prowess, of this great man. That perhaps, if they held the oak, that once held him,....maybe their own foot would walk a similar path as he had.
There were items cut and crafted, from the wood, of this tree, and one of those items, is exactly what I was interested in learning more about, as my journey first began.

I was busy working away on my book, and had just finish background history, of Scotland's past that took me to the threshold of Wallace's rise and on through to the Battle of Stirling Bridge, when I needed a break. After all, the next bit of history, I was about to cover, was; at the least.... depressing, and could wait.
But there was an intriguing story, I wish to learn more about, to include, toward the end of the book so decided to start the search. (more later)

The Bard