The Great Christmas Eve Explosion

One of my most favorite Bessie Britton stories is actually a John Britton story. It involves the cannon which still sits on the Courthouse Square, and a number of Kingstree boys from a bygone era. No one could tell a story like Bessie Britton so I won't try; however, I have added some information at the end of the story which may help date when this event occurred. Here in Miss Bessie's words is the tale of the Christmas Eve explosion:

The cannon as it looks now on the Courthouse Square in Kingstree.

"In mid-December 1961, John and I were living in the white cottage where I now live on the corner of Academy and Church streets in Kingstree. One rainy night after we had finished the last of the Christmas decorations in the living room and dining room, John said he was going to take a shower and put on his formal evening clothes. That meant his pajamas and a shabby, old maroon lounging robe, which he had refused to discard because it was so comfortable.

"When he came back, I was rearranging a centerpiece in the dining room. He took his seat at one end of the oblong table and began playing solitaire. After threatening to kill him if he disturbed the centerpiece, I kicked off my high heels and flopped into an easy chair with a magazine that described the childhood Christmases best remembered by several men and women of national prominence. There wasn't a sound to be heard except for the slap-slap of John's cards on the polished table. The game was relaxing to him, and he could play for hours, or maybe it was just that I couldn't keep quiet that long.

"'John,' I asked, "which Christmas gave you the biggest bang when you were a child?'

"He laughed and said without hesitation, 'It was the Christmas a group of little boys made the Confederate cannon bang on the Courthouse Square, and I got a licking for my part in it.' He put the cards down, lit a cigarette, and asked if I wanted to hear about it. I said yes but to wait until I had put on my evening clothes, too.

"A Confederate cannon, which is now mounted on a permanent base at the Williamsburg County Courthouse, was then mounted on its original caisson, which had huge wooden wheels with iron rims and could be shifted to different positions on the Courthouse Square.

"The small sons of elected officials who had offices inside the Courthouse liked to play on the cannon. I don't remember whose bright idea it was to fire it at dusk on Christmas Eve.

John and Bessie Britton in 1962.

"County Auditor J.J.B. Montgomery's sons were Benton, Sam John, Donald, and Zeno, but I think John said only Donald and Sam John were among the culprits. Superintendent of Education, J.G. McCullough had several sons, and Dr. Jack McCullough might have been in on the mischief, and also Treasurer J.W. Cook's oldest son, Earle. Probate Judge S.M. Scott's sons were too old, but Magistrate John Gamble's son, Frank, might have been among the guilty; likewise Sheriff George Graham's little son, Willie. But Supervisor J.N. Hammet's only son George was then too young to be trusted not to tell the big secret.

"Clerk of Court H.O. Britton's sons were Harry, John, and Billie. I doubt that Harry, who was a steady, quiet fellow, joined in the mischief, but he would not have told on the younger boys. In fact, he talked so little, he would hardly tell you the time of day. No doubt Billie Britton, youngest of the brothers was among the culprits, though he might not care to admit it now. 

"Of course, the little boys had never heard a cannon go off, and they knew nothing about loading one, much less firing one, but they knew it was gunpowder that made such a thrilling noise when stumps were blasted. They somehow managed to get an unknown quantity of it to mix with brickbats and old iron nails, and they packed the cannon full. I don't know who lit the match, but the good Lord was with him. Otherwise, he and his buddies hovering close by would have been blown to kingdom come.

"The cannon went off with such a roar that people as far distant as Salters thought the Yankees had launched a new attack. A few nervous Nellies took to the woods, but able-bodied men from every direction grabbed their guns, jumped on their horses, and galloped to Kingstree, ready to fight again.

"By a miracle, the explosion did no serious damage, so a great time was had by all–except for the small culprits. The roar of the cannon has scared them half-witted, and insult was added to injury when they got their little bottoms nearly blistered as a Christmas bonus."

I have never found any news report to corroborate this story, but I think that the most likely date would be Christmas Eve 1905. J.J.B. Montgomery was elected County Auditor in 1902, and did not move his family to Kingstree until January 1903. So, for Donald and Sam John Montgomery to participate in this escapade, it would have to have occurred after 1902. For unknown reasons, there are no County Record newspapers available for 1906, so that if a story was written about it, we have no access to it today. Finally, the ages of the boys in question seem to make Christmas Eve 1905 a likely candidate. Donald Montgomery was nine; his brother Sam John was 12. Jack McCullough would have been 10; Earle Cook, 8; Billie Britton, 12. Frank Gamble would have been 15, and John Britton 14, making them likely ringleaders of this enterprise. And we know that once Capt. Conrad Constine began firing the cannon with some regularity on Memorial Day that John Britton helped him. Willie Graham, however, appears to have been too old to have participated in this mischief, as he would have been 23 in 1905. As further evidence, George Hammet would have been only six in 1905 and likely considered too young to keep the plot a secret.