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,
