The “Widow Blakely” at Vicksburg
The “Widow Blakely” is displayed at Vicksburg National Military Park. Originally the piece was a British 42-Pounder smoothbore gun manufactured in 1862 by the Low Moor Iron Company in Bradford, Yorkshire. It was reamed out to 7.5 inches, rifled, and banded by Blakely.
Many thanks to friend-of-the-page Jeff Brantly for sharing these photos!
According to the National Park Service, it is one of the few guns displayed at Vicksburg known with certainty to have been present at the siege. It appears to have been called the “Widow Blakely” because it was the only Blakely rifle present in Vicksburg’s defenses.
The 7-Inch Blakely of CSS Alabama
CSS Alabama carried two heavy pivot guns: a 68-Pounder Smoothbore and a 7-Inch (or 110-Pounder) Blakely Rifle as well as six 32-pounder broadside guns. The Blakely was recovered from her wreck in 1994 and is displayed at La Cité de la Mer Museum and Aquarium in Cherbourg, France. The cannon is displayed above the remains of its original wooden carriage and with other artifacts related to the ship.
The 7-Inch Blakely Rifle of CSS Florida
A 7-Inch Blakely Rifle carried aboard the Confederate Navy Cruiser CSS Florida and a 7.5-Inch Blakely Rifle which was mounted in a fortification are displayed as trophies at the Washington Navy Yard.