Unlike some museums, this museum welcomes photographers to photograph its exhibits. I made about twenty per cent of the images in this gallery in this museum and in the two historic Charleston houses in its care. The Charleston Museum, founded in 1773, is commonly regarded as “American’s First Museum.” Nowhere else in Charleston did I find as broad a range of historical subject matter as I did here. Among the earliest pieces in its collection is this cannon, one of the very few existing Revolutionary War cannons that were made in the colonies. (Ironically, most American armaments were made in England.) I moved in on the barrel here to stress the elegant engraving on its barrel. Much of the detail falls into soft focus, suggesting the passage of time. The image is dominated by the extravagant “US” proudly etched in brass. I framed the image so that the spear-like diagonal moves from upper right to lower left. It is only fitting that this cannon has ended its journey in Charleston, South Carolina. The city was the focal point of the American Revolution in the south. Charleston patriots protested the English taxation of tea by confiscating and hiding it. Charleston was twice the target of British attacks. One attack was turned back at Fort Moultrie. The other was a disaster – after a long siege, 8000 redcoats under Charles Cornwallis conquered and controlled the city until the end of the war.