Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 02.djvu/421

 COSBY

COSTON

and Sunns (1S98) ; How to know the Shore Birds (1898) ; The Birds of Eastern Xorth America (1899). He also published sevcjral librettos for light opera, including Mermaid, produced in the Mollis Street Theatre, Boston, in 1888, and Amazon King, pro- duced in 1893; and one or two works of fiction. COSBY, George Blake, soldier, was born in Louisville, Ky., Jan. 19, 1830. He was graduated at the U.S. military academy in 1852, and as brevet 2d lieutenant served with the U.S. mounted rifles. He was promoted 2d lieutenant, Sept. 16, 1853; 1st lieutenant, ]\Iay 1, 1856, and captain, May 9, 1861. He served at the cavalry school, Carlisle, Pa. ; on Governor's Island, N.Y. harbor, and in charge of the transportation of cavalry recruits to Indianola, Texas. He was then attached to the 2d U.S. cavalry commanded by Colonel Van Dorn and engaged in scouting dut}' on the frontier. Late in 1857 he was or- dered to the military academy as instructor of cavalry, and after a year's service was ordered at his own request to rejoin his regiment which accompanied Col. John Pojie in tlie survey of the 32d parallel for a proposed railroad route to the Pacific. In this service he marched his com- mand 900 miles from Santa Fe to the Wachita mountains where he engaged in several raids against the Comanche Indians. In 1860 he was married at Fort Mason to Antonia Johnson, a niece of Gen. R.^V. Johnson. He resigned from the U.S. armj^ May 10, 1861, and was appointed a captain in the Confederate army, reporting to Gen. R. E. Lee, who assigned him to General Magruder's command at Y^orktown. Here he was made chief of staff to Gen. J. B. Hood, then organizing the cavalry force. He was afterward ordered to report to Gen. A. S. Johnston at Bow- ling Green, Ky., who assigned him as chief of staff to Gen. S. B. Buckner. He was captured at the fall of Fort Donelson with his chief and nn- prisoned in Fort Warren, Boston Harbor. He was paroled by General Halleck and" went to Bal- timore where General Wool requested him to visit Richmond to effect an exchange of prisoners. On his return as agi-eed within ten days he was again imprisoned in Fort Delaware and remained until the general exchange of prisoners in 1862. He then rejoined the staff of General Buckner and participated in the battles of Munfordville and Perryville, Ky. On Jan. 20, 1803, he was i)ro- moted brigadier-general and commanded a brig- ade under General Van Dorn and later served in the army of Gen. Joseph E. Johnston. He was with Gen. John H. Morgan's command after that officer's death ; joined General Early in the Shenandoali and subsequent! j the command of Gen. John C. Breckenridge. On the surrender of General Lee's army, General Cosby, after an ineffectual attempt to join Johnston in North

Carolina, dismissed his little band of followers and escaped to Canada, where he remained one year. In 1868 he settled in California where he was in charge of a stage route, was contractor to supply U.S. army posts, a sutler at Fort War- ren, Oregon, and subsequently settled on a farm. He was twice elected secretary of the California senate, was secretary to the state engineer, and adjutant-general of the state. He superintended the construction of the United States post- office building in Sacramento and was in 1897 re- ceiver of public moneys of the land office at Sacramento, Cal.

COSQROVE, Henry, R.C. bishop, was born in Williamsport, Pa, Dec. 19, 1884. When he was eleven years old his parents removed to Dubuque, Iowa. On Aug. 27, 1857, he was ordained a priest by Bishop Smythe and served as assistant pastor of St. Mary's church, Davenport, Iowa, until 1863 when he became pastor. He was made vicar- general in 1882 and in 1883 was selected to suc- ceed Bishop McMullen, deceased, as administrator sede vacante from July 4, 1883, till his consecra- tion as bishop of Davenport on Sept. 14, 1884, by Archbishop Feehan, assisted by Bishops Hen- nessy and O'Connor. Though comparatively a- new diocese Davenport, under his administra- tion, became one of the strongest in the north- west. Bishop Cosgrove was the first native of the United States to be appointed bishop of a diocese west of the Mississippi river. He was also one of the first secular priests to be given a mitre in the west.

COSSITT, Franceway Ranna, educator, was born in Claremont, N.H., April 24, 1790. He was graduated at Middlebury college in 1813 and sub- sequently taught school and prepared for orders in the Protestant Episcopal church. He went to Tennessee where he joined the Cumberland Pres- byterian church and was ordained to the minis- try in 1822. In 1825 he was elected president of Cumberland college, Princeton. Ky., on its incor- poration, and on July 9, 1842, when the institution was changed to a university and removed ta Lebanon, Tenn., he was elected its first president, holding the oftice until Sept. 30, 1844. He founded and for ten years edited the Banner of Peace ^ Nashville, Tenn. In 1839 Middlebury college conferred on him the degree of D.D. He died in Lebanon, Tenn., July 3, 1803.

COSTON, Benjamin Franklin, inventor, was born in Philadelphia, Pa., July 20, 1821; son of Joseph Coston. His parents were of French de- scent. He was educated by private tuition and in a school of his native city, and in the drug stone of a celebrated physician where he had every ad- vantage in pursuing a course in chemistry. He was fortunate in gaining the friendship of Com- modores Robert F. Stockton and Charles Stewart,