The 7-Inch Brooke at White Point Garden
"S-76", a 7-Inch Double Banded Brooke Rifle, has been displayed at "the Battery" at White Point Garden in Charleston, South Carolina since around 1900. It was cast at the Selma Naval Gun Foundry in 1864. The list of Selma-cast Brookes in Daniel and Gunter’s Confederate Cannon Foundries states that the Brooke was cast at Selma on June 15th, 1864 and delivered to Charleston on September 19th, 1864.
Two other Selma 7-Inch Brookes, S-70 and S-74, were also sent to Charleston in the autumn of 1864.
I am not aware of this gun’s service history during the war. A plaque mounted in front of the gun incorrectly states that it was used to bombard Federal troops at Fort Sumter in 1861. Given that the gun was not cast for three more years, this is hard to believe!
Around the year 1900, the City of Charleston mounted several Civil War era cannons at White Point Gardens. Photos taken pre-1911 show the Brooke mounted at White Point Garden. The carriage seems to be a US Army Model 1859 wrought iron, front pintle, barbette carriage manufactured for a 6.4-Inch Parrott Rifle. Though it originally was a complete carriage, the lower portion has since been removed (possibly following damaged sustained during a 1911 hurricane.)
7-inch Brooke Rifle at White Point Garden
7-inch Brooke Rifle at White Point Garden
7-inch Brooke Rifle at White Point Garden
7-inch Brooke Rifle at White Point Garden
7-inch Brooke Rifle at White Point Garden
7-inch Brooke Rifle at White Point Garden
The right trunnion of S-76. I can make out the “VII” marking, but I am not entirely sure I can see the “C. ap. R. J.” through the layers of paint.
Early 20th Century view of the Brooke as originally mounted at White Point Garden. Library of Congress Photo: https://www.loc.gov/pictures/collection/det/item/2016800845/
Detail from above photo. 7-inch Brooke Rifle displayed at White Point Garden circa 1901
Brooke S-76 at White Point Garden. Detail from Library of Congress Photo: https://www.loc.gov/pictures/collection/det/item/2016818664/
Very little on this plaque is correct. There were rifled guns used in the bombardment of Fort Sumter, but a Brooke cast in 1864 is unlikely to have been one of them.
