Southern Firepower

Southern Firepower. . This 6.4-inch Brooke rifled cannon became a great source of pride for the Confederacy. Named for its inventor, John Mercer Brooke, this type of gun was renowned for its superior range, accuracy, and reliability compared to to its smoothbore counterparts. Because of its effectiveness, the Brooke Rifle saw service inside many Southern fortifications and aboard numerous Confederate warships., This example was cast at Richmond's famous Tredegar Iron works in July 1862, and was mounted within the James River defenses near Drewry's Bluff. there it successfully guarded the river approaches to Richmond. It was capable of firing an 80-pound solid projectile over four miles., (captions) , A captured Confederate Brooke Rifle along the James River., The gun's designer, John Mercer Brooke, was an inventor and Chief of Confederate Naval Ordnance. Brooke helped develop many of the South's unique weapons, including submarines and torpedoes, and was instrumental in the design of the famous ironclad CSS Virginia. He also prepared the railroad-mounted artillery used at the battle of Savage's Station.