George S. Cook Photographs the Civil War

Intesting story in today's online edition of the NY Times, here, on George S. Cook, who photographed widely in the South around the time of the Civil War. The NY Times bills him as the Southern Mathew Brady.

Among his work is a portrait (see above) of Maj. Robert Anderson, the commander of Fort Sumter when it was bombarded in Charleston harbor at the beginning of the Civil War.  There is a slide show of more of Cook's work here, including what is billed as the first photograph of naval combat in process, showing Union ironclads firing on Confederate positions. 

The story also brings to my attention the Center for Civil War Photography, here.  Well worth a look.