The Great Battle of Beaverton Falls
Early in the fall of 1863, there was an incident that is written in the annals of Beaverton Falls for all time: The Battle of Beaverton Falls. Beaverton Falls did not actively participate in the Civil War and declared for neither side, but they formed a militia they called the 1st Army of Wonderland Valley. It consisted of three officers, four non-commissioned officers and thirty enlisted men. They had two cannons with limber, two caisson and twelve horses. They never expected to engage in battle, but stood by to protect their little town from raiders that stalked the area nearby, amidst the chaos of war.
Major Scott was appointed the artillery officer by the Commander of the 1st Army, General John Williams, the son of Henry J. Williams, the founder of Beaverton Falls. Major Scott was excited by the acquisition of two new 12 pound Howitzer’s they had imported from Austria. They would arrive in the mid-summer of 1862 along with four cases of spherical shell munition. The guns were light and could be quickly transported anywhere in Wonderland Valley at a moment’s notice. Major Scott wasted no time in planning a live fire exercise in the open field near Goblin Wood. He began training his gun crews to properly load, sight and fire the powerful weapons.
After a full day of shooting their shiny new cannons, and at the peril of several trees along the edge of Goblin Wood, Major Scott realized they had used nearly all of the ammunition. In their exuberance to prepare their small artillery force for any possible confrontations they inadvertently rendered themselves nearly defenseless. In fact, they had only one cannon ball left.
General Williams was none too happy to hear of the 1st Army’s lack of artillery munitions. He was however comforted by reports that his men were excellent marksmen with a 12 pound Howitzer. He was also glad they had a thorough training and plenty of practice, to the tune of more than forty rounds between the two cannon. In fact, when he first became aware of the scope of their exercise at Goblin Wood, he rode there immediately to see the large pock marks created by the exploding artillery. He found more than ten large trees completely splintered and a deep trench dug by the repeated shell bursts at the edge of the forest. It seemed to him that Major Scott and his cannon crew would be up to the task of defending Beaverton Falls should the need arise.
Major Scott immediately placed an order for more artillery shells to restock their depleted supply. However, due to the demand of the war, the cannon balls might not arrive for some time. He decided to commission a small detail to purchase more ammunition. They rode hard and fast on their best horses for two days and a night to the big city, but they were turned back. There was no ammunition available, and they returned to Wonderland Valley empty handed.
But the 1st Army of Wonderland Valley was not completely defenseless. They had a band of “crack shot” riflemen that could rival the marksmen of any army. It is said that any one of the ten men could shoot a fly from the ear of a wagon team horse at full gallop without causing him to break his stride. Their small cavalry could ride like the wind and had no equal with a sword. From the back of their horse, they could fire their musket, empty their sidearm and wade into the fiercest scrum of battle with their swords swinging like a whirlwind. Their fearless leader, General Williams, was not only a premier battlefield tactician with a West Point education but was the best shot with a Navy Colt that anyone had ever seen. And… they had one cannonball.
It was October 3, 1863. The two largest battles of the civil war had already dealt their hand of destruction. General Lee of the Confederate Army charged into Gettysburg Pennsylvania to invade the homeland of the Union and was defeated and pushed back by General Meade’s determined forces. General Braxton Bragg of the Army of Tennessee charged from Chickamauga Georgia around Lookout Mountain to defeat General Rosecrans and chase the Union Army out of Chattanooga. In both cases the invading forces were repulsed. The homeland was recovered. It would be no different in Beaverton falls on this day in early October.
It was about noon on October 3, when a fast moving rider came blazing through town in a cloud of dust. His horse was sweating from head to haunches and panting so hard his lungs must have been on the verge of bursting. The rider jumped from the horse at near top speed and dove into the office of the 1st Army screaming a warning, “Boats on the River, Boats on the River.” He stumbled to the watch sergeant’s desk, breathless and unable to explain. Regardless, the sergeant understood and he sent out the call to the 1st Army. He could tell without explanation what the task would be. The river was closed on all sides by the valley and there was effectively one way in or out of Wonderland by water. As quickly as they could muster and mount, he ordered the cavalry to the foot of Beaverton Creek.
A caisson with one lone cannonball was rigged to its draw and one cannon was hitched to the strongest horse team in the stable. The artillery crew, dragging their cannon at full run, headed for the river, just ten minutes behind the cavalry. The infantry and rifle team struck out on a double time march, while a small guard of five men were left behind to cover the town. General Williams accompanied the cavalry on his fine shiny black steed he named Zeus.
The cavalry reached the end of the valley within fifteen minutes. They stealthily spread out across the north and south ridge on both sides of the valley. They could see four large flat bottom boats polling up the river with uniformed men on deck. General Williams could see a bright red scarf around the necks of some of the men and feared they were raiders. There had been news of raiders wearing such scarves. They were deserters that had gone rogue and were seeking to loot and pillage.
General Williams ordered the cavalry to take defensive positions and prepare to cover the artillery crew during emplacement on the Great North Ridge. He also gave them instruction to make a full frontal attack immediately after the cannon shot. He then rode Zeus with all haste to accompany the artillery crew. He wanted to personally decide the time when the cannon would deliver its only ordinance.
Even at double time march, the infantry would take some time to reach their position. The General had left a messenger to meet them with orders to support the cavalry. They were to deliver a direct frontal charge at the landing site of the boats and prevent the crews on board from reaching the cover of the trees.
The boats were making good progress up the river that narrowed to Beaverton Creek. General Williams knew the raiders would abandon ship and disperse into the woods once the large boats started hitting bottom at the mouth of the creek where the water shallowed. It would be difficult, if not impossible, to flush them out of the woods without a long and possibly tragic engagement. General Williams ordered the cannon crew to fire it’s only shot directly at the lead boat. He begged them not to miss.
The artillery crew powdered the barrel, rammed the shot and sighted its bronze tube as carefully as they knew how. Major Scott oversaw their actions and prepared to give the order to fire. It would be a long shot for the 12 pounder, but they could not allow the men of the barge to come ashore and there was no time to get closer. They must take their shot from here.
General Williams sat atop great Zeus bracing himself and for the crack of the cannon. “Fire at will” he ordered as soon as he saw the lead boat had reached the shallows of Beaverton Creek. The crew plugged their ears as the gunner tightened the lanyard. Major Scott closed one eye and sighted down the barrel of the great gun. He doubled checked the elevation markings then ordered his crew, “FIRE” he shouted.
BANG! The great gun cracked and recoiled. It seemed to jump a foot off the ground and rolled backwards about three feet. Blinding smoke filled the air. Zeus jumped and reared. General Williams held the reins with all his might, but the great steed bolted through the cloud of smoke. Major Scott was nearly trampled by the mighty horse. The shot whistled as it made its way down range. All of this happened within one second.
The next few breathtaking moments were set into motion. General Williams grip on the reins was not nearly enough to keep him in the saddle and he was dumped to the ground breaking his right arm halfway between the wrist and elbow. The ball missed the barge. It fell short by fifty yards but delivered a stunning charge of smoke and shrapnel. The cavalry screamed with their most mighty war cry and poured from the surrounding woods at full speed. Hot on their heels the infantry, who had just arrived, added a good measure of ferocity to the attack charging at full run with bayonets mounted. The would-be raiders immediately turned their boats and with all hands, hastily retreated back downriver, poling with all their might to escape. The red scarfed deserters were never seen again in Wonderland Valley.
A few days later, wearing a sling to support his badly broken arm, General Williams, the only casualty of the Great Battle of Beaverton Falls, was awarded the Purple Heart by Mayor Woodrow Russell. After his death in 1914, at the age of 86, a statue was erected honoring General Williams. Nearby, a single cannonball rests on a pedestal next to the actual cannon that fired the famous shot from the Great North Ridge. On the pedestal is the name of Major David Scott, praising him as the artillery officer who fired the one and only shot of the Great Battle of Beaverton Falls.
Zeus was so scared by the crack of the cannon he did not return for two days. When he did, General Williams wept with happiness, for he missed his good friend. He promised never to subject his fine mount to close cannon fire again. He had been trained to tolerate shots fired from the saddle, but the cannon was more than he could bear.
The 1st Army of Wonderland Valley finally received a new stock of cannonballs in the spring of 1864, but never again had a reason to fire them in anger. Major Scott learned a valuable lesson and always maintained a stock of fifty rounds or more. He was later promoted to General and took over as the commander of the 1st Army. He served proudly until 1895 and retired as the most revered leader of the 1st Army of Wonderland Valley.
Copyrighted to the author - 2016, 36305
Early in the fall of 1863, there was an incident that is written in the annals of Beaverton Falls for all time: The Battle of Beaverton Falls. Beaverton Falls did not actively participate in the Civil War and declared for neither side, but they formed a militia they called the 1st Army of Wonderland Valley. It consisted of three officers, four non-commissioned officers and thirty enlisted men. They had two cannons with limber, two caisson and twelve horses. They never expected to engage in battle, but stood by to protect their little town from raiders that stalked the area nearby, amidst the chaos of war.
Major Scott was appointed the artillery officer by the Commander of the 1st Army, General John Williams, the son of Henry J. Williams, the founder of Beaverton Falls. Major Scott was excited by the acquisition of two new 12 pound Howitzer’s they had imported from Austria. They would arrive in the mid-summer of 1862 along with four cases of spherical shell munition. The guns were light and could be quickly transported anywhere in Wonderland Valley at a moment’s notice. Major Scott wasted no time in planning a live fire exercise in the open field near Goblin Wood. He began training his gun crews to properly load, sight and fire the powerful weapons.
After a full day of shooting their shiny new cannons, and at the peril of several trees along the edge of Goblin Wood, Major Scott realized they had used nearly all of the ammunition. In their exuberance to prepare their small artillery force for any possible confrontations they inadvertently rendered themselves nearly defenseless. In fact, they had only one cannon ball left.
General Williams was none too happy to hear of the 1st Army’s lack of artillery munitions. He was however comforted by reports that his men were excellent marksmen with a 12 pound Howitzer. He was also glad they had a thorough training and plenty of practice, to the tune of more than forty rounds between the two cannon. In fact, when he first became aware of the scope of their exercise at Goblin Wood, he rode there immediately to see the large pock marks created by the exploding artillery. He found more than ten large trees completely splintered and a deep trench dug by the repeated shell bursts at the edge of the forest. It seemed to him that Major Scott and his cannon crew would be up to the task of defending Beaverton Falls should the need arise.
Major Scott immediately placed an order for more artillery shells to restock their depleted supply. However, due to the demand of the war, the cannon balls might not arrive for some time. He decided to commission a small detail to purchase more ammunition. They rode hard and fast on their best horses for two days and a night to the big city, but they were turned back. There was no ammunition available, and they returned to Wonderland Valley empty handed.
But the 1st Army of Wonderland Valley was not completely defenseless. They had a band of “crack shot” riflemen that could rival the marksmen of any army. It is said that any one of the ten men could shoot a fly from the ear of a wagon team horse at full gallop without causing him to break his stride. Their small cavalry could ride like the wind and had no equal with a sword. From the back of their horse, they could fire their musket, empty their sidearm and wade into the fiercest scrum of battle with their swords swinging like a whirlwind. Their fearless leader, General Williams, was not only a premier battlefield tactician with a West Point education but was the best shot with a Navy Colt that anyone had ever seen. And… they had one cannonball.
It was October 3, 1863. The two largest battles of the civil war had already dealt their hand of destruction. General Lee of the Confederate Army charged into Gettysburg Pennsylvania to invade the homeland of the Union and was defeated and pushed back by General Meade’s determined forces. General Braxton Bragg of the Army of Tennessee charged from Chickamauga Georgia around Lookout Mountain to defeat General Rosecrans and chase the Union Army out of Chattanooga. In both cases the invading forces were repulsed. The homeland was recovered. It would be no different in Beaverton falls on this day in early October.
It was about noon on October 3, when a fast moving rider came blazing through town in a cloud of dust. His horse was sweating from head to haunches and panting so hard his lungs must have been on the verge of bursting. The rider jumped from the horse at near top speed and dove into the office of the 1st Army screaming a warning, “Boats on the River, Boats on the River.” He stumbled to the watch sergeant’s desk, breathless and unable to explain. Regardless, the sergeant understood and he sent out the call to the 1st Army. He could tell without explanation what the task would be. The river was closed on all sides by the valley and there was effectively one way in or out of Wonderland by water. As quickly as they could muster and mount, he ordered the cavalry to the foot of Beaverton Creek.
A caisson with one lone cannonball was rigged to its draw and one cannon was hitched to the strongest horse team in the stable. The artillery crew, dragging their cannon at full run, headed for the river, just ten minutes behind the cavalry. The infantry and rifle team struck out on a double time march, while a small guard of five men were left behind to cover the town. General Williams accompanied the cavalry on his fine shiny black steed he named Zeus.
The cavalry reached the end of the valley within fifteen minutes. They stealthily spread out across the north and south ridge on both sides of the valley. They could see four large flat bottom boats polling up the river with uniformed men on deck. General Williams could see a bright red scarf around the necks of some of the men and feared they were raiders. There had been news of raiders wearing such scarves. They were deserters that had gone rogue and were seeking to loot and pillage.
General Williams ordered the cavalry to take defensive positions and prepare to cover the artillery crew during emplacement on the Great North Ridge. He also gave them instruction to make a full frontal attack immediately after the cannon shot. He then rode Zeus with all haste to accompany the artillery crew. He wanted to personally decide the time when the cannon would deliver its only ordinance.
Even at double time march, the infantry would take some time to reach their position. The General had left a messenger to meet them with orders to support the cavalry. They were to deliver a direct frontal charge at the landing site of the boats and prevent the crews on board from reaching the cover of the trees.
The boats were making good progress up the river that narrowed to Beaverton Creek. General Williams knew the raiders would abandon ship and disperse into the woods once the large boats started hitting bottom at the mouth of the creek where the water shallowed. It would be difficult, if not impossible, to flush them out of the woods without a long and possibly tragic engagement. General Williams ordered the cannon crew to fire it’s only shot directly at the lead boat. He begged them not to miss.
The artillery crew powdered the barrel, rammed the shot and sighted its bronze tube as carefully as they knew how. Major Scott oversaw their actions and prepared to give the order to fire. It would be a long shot for the 12 pounder, but they could not allow the men of the barge to come ashore and there was no time to get closer. They must take their shot from here.
General Williams sat atop great Zeus bracing himself and for the crack of the cannon. “Fire at will” he ordered as soon as he saw the lead boat had reached the shallows of Beaverton Creek. The crew plugged their ears as the gunner tightened the lanyard. Major Scott closed one eye and sighted down the barrel of the great gun. He doubled checked the elevation markings then ordered his crew, “FIRE” he shouted.
BANG! The great gun cracked and recoiled. It seemed to jump a foot off the ground and rolled backwards about three feet. Blinding smoke filled the air. Zeus jumped and reared. General Williams held the reins with all his might, but the great steed bolted through the cloud of smoke. Major Scott was nearly trampled by the mighty horse. The shot whistled as it made its way down range. All of this happened within one second.
The next few breathtaking moments were set into motion. General Williams grip on the reins was not nearly enough to keep him in the saddle and he was dumped to the ground breaking his right arm halfway between the wrist and elbow. The ball missed the barge. It fell short by fifty yards but delivered a stunning charge of smoke and shrapnel. The cavalry screamed with their most mighty war cry and poured from the surrounding woods at full speed. Hot on their heels the infantry, who had just arrived, added a good measure of ferocity to the attack charging at full run with bayonets mounted. The would-be raiders immediately turned their boats and with all hands, hastily retreated back downriver, poling with all their might to escape. The red scarfed deserters were never seen again in Wonderland Valley.
A few days later, wearing a sling to support his badly broken arm, General Williams, the only casualty of the Great Battle of Beaverton Falls, was awarded the Purple Heart by Mayor Woodrow Russell. After his death in 1914, at the age of 86, a statue was erected honoring General Williams. Nearby, a single cannonball rests on a pedestal next to the actual cannon that fired the famous shot from the Great North Ridge. On the pedestal is the name of Major David Scott, praising him as the artillery officer who fired the one and only shot of the Great Battle of Beaverton Falls.
Zeus was so scared by the crack of the cannon he did not return for two days. When he did, General Williams wept with happiness, for he missed his good friend. He promised never to subject his fine mount to close cannon fire again. He had been trained to tolerate shots fired from the saddle, but the cannon was more than he could bear.
The 1st Army of Wonderland Valley finally received a new stock of cannonballs in the spring of 1864, but never again had a reason to fire them in anger. Major Scott learned a valuable lesson and always maintained a stock of fifty rounds or more. He was later promoted to General and took over as the commander of the 1st Army. He served proudly until 1895 and retired as the most revered leader of the 1st Army of Wonderland Valley.
Copyrighted to the author - 2016, 36305