6.4-Inch Brooke Rifle, S85, at Linwood Cemetery, Columbus, Georgia
6.4-Inch Brooke Rifle, S85, is mounted at Linwood Cemetery in Columbus, Georgia
6.4-Inch Brooke Rifle S85 is mounted at Linwood Cemetery in Columbus, Georgia overlooking a section of Civil War graves. This Brooke was manufactured at the Selma Naval Gun Foundry in Selma, Alabama in 1864-1865. In March of 1865 it was sent to Columbus, Georgia to become part of the armament of the ironclad ram CSS Jackson which had been launched in December 1864. However, CSS Jackson would be captured by United States Army Cavalry under Major General James Wilson in April 1865 following the Battle of Columbus, one of the last battles of the American Civil War.
Unusually, S85 has widely spaced individual rings for its outer reinforcing band over the breech. The cannon is missing several inches from its muzzle. It is also displayed upside down which can be seen from the markings on the trunnions and from the sight blocks - the mid sight block is buried in the concrete and the rear sight block can be seen pointing down. Additionally, an elevating screw from a carriage is still in place and the cascabel is partially broken. Compare S96 at Jackson Alabama where the sight blocks can easily be seen. Linwood Cemetery is just a 10-Minute drive from the National Civil War Naval Museum where the recovered lower hull of CSS Jackson may be seen on display as well as two other cannons from the ironclad and many other artifacts.
Photograph of CSS Jackson (originally known as CSS Muscogee) shortly after her launching in Columbus, Georgia. Naval History and Heritage Command Photo: https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/our-collections/photography/numerical-list-of-images/nhhc-series/nh-series/NH-48000/NH-48026.html
S85 is displayed upside down - as shown by the markings on the trunnion in this rotated image.
Several inches are missing from the muzzle. The rifling can be seen in the bore.
The broken cascabel, elevating screw, and rear sight block (upside down) can be seen in this photo of the breech of S85.
The recovered lower hull of CSS Jackson may be seen at the National Civil War Naval Museum in Columbus, Georgia.
