The 7-Inch Brooke at White Point Garden
Preserved at White Point Garden in Charleston is a 7-Inch Brooke Rifle. According to Warren Ripley’s “Artillery and Ammunition of the Civil War”, it was cast at Selma in 1864 is marked S-76. 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. 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!
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. 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
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/
