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"Gutta-percha", used to make Brooks' cane, is "a tough plastic substance from the latex of several Malaysian trees... of the sapodilla family that resembles rubber but contains more resin" - thank you, Merriam-Webster Dictionary! (The Independence)

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Severe psychological damage was done to him, including head trauma that bred extreme headaches, nightmares, and what we now know as PTSD, or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (The Independence). Understandably, "the physical and psychological injuries from the caning kept [Sumner] away from the Senate" for at least three years during his recovery period (The Independence).

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The House of Representatives wanted to fire Brooks, but was unable to because "it could not amass the votes to do so"; Brooks was, however, "levied a $300 fine for the assault" (The Independence). Instead of being fired, Brooks quit his job as a representative, and travelled back to his home in South Carolina, "seeking the approval of his actions there" since he couldn't get "approval" in the House (The Independence). Because the South held so much contempt for the North, "South Carolina held events in [Brooks'] honor," as well as "reelected him to his House seat"; and, on top of all that, "replacement canes were sent to Brooks from all over the south" (The Independence).

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According to the accounts of other senators who were near Sumner when the gruesome event took place, Preston Brooks "began beating Sumner severely on the head with a thick gutta-percha* cane with a gold head" (The Independence). Charles Sumner wasn't even able to stand up from his desk before he "was knocked down and trapped under the heavy desk... but Brooks continued to bash Sumner until [he] ripped the desk from the floor" (The Independence). Then, Charles Sumner became "blinded by his own blood, and... [lapsed] into unconsciousness" (The Independence). This didn't stop Preston Brooks, however, because he "continued to beat the motionless Sumner until his cane broke"; Brooks left Sumner's office afterwards (The Independence).

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What really happened in Sumner's office

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He decided to defend his uncle's honor by beating Charles Sumner with a gold-headed cane (The Independence).

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Preston Brooks was a representative for South Carolina, as well as the nephew of South Carolina senator Andrew Butler, whom Sumner verbally attacked in his speech (The Independence).

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He made a speech called "The Crime Against Kansas" - referring to the quarrelling occurring in 'Bloody Kansas' at the time - which included a personal attack on South Carolina's senator, Andrew Butler (The Independence).

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Charles Sumner was a U.S Senator for Massachusetts, as well as an abolitionist (The Independence).