"Old Betsy" at Fort Cape Disappointment
Introduction
Text-to-speech Audio
Fort Cape Disappointment was established in 1862 during the American Civil War. Fortifications existed here from that date to protect the northern approaches to the mouth of the Columbia River from possible attacks by Confederate raiders or foreign fleets. The Fort was renamed Fort Canby on January 28, 1875, for General Edward R.S. Canby, who was killed in the Modoc Indian Wars. Three defensive earthwork batteries were constructed at Fort Canby. Lighthouse Battery (West Battery) is at the west point of the Cape, Center Battery is at the mid-point of the Cape, and East Battery is at the point on the Cape that overlooks the entrance into Baker’s Bay.
Images
Cape Disappointment Lighthouse completed in 1856 was a beacon for ships entering the mouth of the Columbia River. This photo was taken in the 1880s.
The lumber barge,George Olson broke loose from its tow on Jan.30,1964. The Coast Guard was able to attach a line, but there was too much damage to safely tow her to Astoria. She was grounded on Jetty "A." Losing her 3.5 million feet of lumber.
If you look south at low tide from Cape Disappointment Lighthouse, you can see the slowly shrinking remains of the lumber barge, George Olson.
The tuna seiner, Bettie M was entering the Columbia River on March 20, 1976. The Bettie M and its 900 tons of tuna failed to maneuver into the channel and wrecked on Jetty "A". The remains of the Bettie M can still be seen at low tide.
15"Gun at Ft. Canby, William Taylor, 33rd Coast Artillery "Old Betsy" 1901
Backstory and Context
Text-to-speech Audio
The highlight of Lighthouse Battery was the 15-inch smoothbore Rodman. By 1863, it was installed on the north side of the Cape Disappointment lighthouse overlooking the entrance to the Columbia River.
Nicknamed “Old Betsy,” it was the largest and best-known gun used at Fort Canby during the Civil War period. “Old Betsy” weighed 50,000 pounds. The projectile for the gun weighed 315 pounds and could be shot as far as two miles. It took seven men a minute and ten seconds to load the gun.
However, there was a problem with “Old Betsy” and her location. When the gun was fired, the concussion would crack the windows of the lighthouse. This angered the head lighthouse keeper, so he sent a letter to the Secretary of War demanding the Army stop firing the gun. Orders to the Commanding Officer at Fort Canby stated the gun, “…should not be fired again because when pointed in certain directions it endangers the glass in the lighthouse.” The Army’s solution was to move it in 1893 to Center Battery where it could safely be fired. The gun was mounted on granite blocks, the remains of those blocks can still be seen near Battery Harvey Allen at the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center.
Sources
CPHM Files
Lucero, Donella J. Hobbs, Nancy L. Columbia River Forts A History of Fort Canby. Edition First Edition. 2015.
Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum