Cook & Brother

Three brothers, Ferdinand, Frederick and Francis Cook moved from New York to New Orleans and in 1855 established the Belleville Iron Works in Algiers, Louisiana to produce industrial machinery and agricultural equipment.  They also produced small arms and equipment of the US Government.

In 1860/1861 the small arms portion of the Belleville Iron Works was used to create the Nashua Iron Company by the brothers Ferdinand and Francis. This new company was headquartered in New Orleans across the Mississippi River from their Algiers factory.  Shortly after establishment the name Nashua Iron Company was changed to Cook & Brother.  They concentrated on the production of rifles and bayonets based on the English Short Enfield Rifle.  More than 2000 bayonets for shotguns and civilian rifles were also produced. 

The Cooks were forced to evacuate New Orleans by the Union Army in April of 1862.  A new factory was established with salvaged machinery and supplies in Athens, Georgia and was up and running by early 1863.  The Confederate Ordnance Department entered into an agreement with Cook & Brother to deliver 50,000 rifles with bayonets.

in December 11, 1864, Major Ferdinand Cook was killed in action while fighting for a local milita. After the end of the war, Francis Cook was forced to sell the factory to pay off his debts.

Initially the Cook rifles were made with a traditional bayonet lug mounted on the rifle's barrel but was quickly replaced by a removable adaptor ring on which the bayonet lug was mounted.  The lug has a unique V shape by being narrow at the ring and tapering to a wider outer end.  

The bayonets have a one piece solid ribbed brass hilt and a yataghan blade.  It is believed that bayonets produced for use on shotguns have a straight, spear pointed blade.

This information has been gleaned from the following College Hill Arsenal site:

https://collegehillarsenal.com/Confederate-Cook-Brother-New-Orleans-Production-Alabama-Contract-Rifle-Saber-Bayonet