Coffee County AlArchives Biographies.....Costello, Pierre D. 1829 - January 4 1863
************************************************Copyright.  All rights reserved.http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htmhttp://www.usgwarchives.net/al/alfiles.htm************************************************File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Ann Anderson alabammygrammy@aol.com May 16, 2004, 12:18 am

Author: Brant & Fuller (1893)
   JUDGE PIERRE D. COSTELLO, deceased, was born in New York city in 1829; he wasa son of Daniel Edmund and Anna Costello (his mother's maiden name wasMcNamorrow), who were natives of Ireland, were reared and married there andemigrated to the United States, locating in New York city, where Mr. Costellodied when Pierre was a small boy, and his mother married again. Domesticsurroundings not being congenial to young Pierre, he left home, and acquired agood education in New York. He then came south, and served on the steamerTortoise in the Mexican war, doing gallant service; after the Mexican war hecame to Alabama, and when but nineteen years old was appointed probate judge ofConecuh county and served in that capacity for several years. Afterward he spentsome time at Greenville, Ala., and in 1850 taught school at Elba, Ala. In 1852or 1853 he went to Geneva, Ala., and engaged in bookkeeping for a few years; in1854 he removed to Elba and was married, in 1855, to Cordelia Lee, anaccomplished young lady, a graduate of LaGrange college, daughter of Col.Charles S. and Elizabeth M. Lee, and born in La Fayette, Chambers county, Ala.,in 1835. Soon after coming to Elba, Judge Costello was made probate judge, whichposition he continued to fill with universal satisfaction until the breaking outof the war, when he was one of the first to offer his services to theConfederate cause. He organized company K, of which he was made captain andassigned to the Twenty-fifth Alabama infantry, which regiment operated in theTennessee army, fighting at Corinth, at Shiloh, in the Mississippi campaign, inthe Kentucky campaign, at Perryville, and at Murfeesboro, where he was mortallywounded, while leading his men through showers of missels of death to the chargeon that almost impregnable battery, being shot through the lungs, January 1. Heexpired January 4th, 1863. Though in great pain, and fully aware of hisimpending fate, from the time he received his wound until he expired, he bore itall in that manly way that betokened his great fortitude and greatness of soul,having been carried to a residence near by, where he was kindly cared for. Hisremains were buried on the battle field. Nothing but a simple board marks hisresting place. He needs no monumental tomb to mark the place of his remains; hisworthy deeds will render him immortal; he will live when monuments will havecrumbled into dust and be forgotten. During this battle he was acting aslieutenant-colonel of the Twenty-fifth Alabama, leading his men to victory inthe charge. He was as brave a man as there was in the Confederate army andbeloved by all his comrades, and his death was a great loss to the regiment, andindeed to the entire command. He was well known for his fearlessness, althoughhe was not reckless or even careless of his life in battle. He was a prominentMason, holding membership in Elba lodge, No. 170, of which he was once W. M.,and one of its most active and worthy members. He was the only son, but had foursisters, all of whom remained in New York. He was the only one of the familythat came south. When he was taken away in the untimely manner which has beennarrated, he left a wife, devoted and cultured to the highest degree, and fourchildren, one son and three daughters, all deceased., as follows: ElizabethMary, died in infancy ; Mary Agnes, was accidently shot while at play in theyard, by some parties practicing shooting at Elba during the war, aged sevenyears ; Daniel Edward, died at eighteen, a promising young man, and Camilla,died at the age of sixteen, all of them bright and promising children - idols ofa fond and doting mother's heart. By the death of the son the name becameextinct, so far as this family is concerned. Too much could not be said inpraise of Judge Costello, as his character was above reproach in his private aswell as his public affairs. In military life he was equally distinguished, thatcareer being noted for its valor, fimness, fidelity and devotion to the cause hehad at heart. He was everybody's friend and was exceedinnly popular. He was avery brilliant and scholarly gentleman and a leader in both social and publicaffairs. He had been wounded on the field at Shiloh, being shot through theright thigh by a minie ball. He was carried to a residence near by, where he wascarefully attended until next day, when after the army had retreated from thefield of carnage Captain C. M. Cox, a brother-in-law of Judge Costello, madeinquiries about him, only to learn that he was left behind severely wounded.Upon the matter being presented to the brigadier-general commanding, thatofficer ordered his entire company, consisting then of only sixteen able-bodiedmen, the rest having been either killed or wounded in the battle, to carry himto Corinth, as it was too dangerous to haul him in an ambulance. Theyconstructed litters of their blankets and carried him safely to Corinth, adistance of more than twenty miles across the country. After sufficient recoveryhe went home, and while yet on crutches returned to his command; he was alloweda horse, the only instance in which a line officer was allowed that favor. AtPerryville he was shot through the left thigh, but was not so severely injured.He was very unfortunate, being wounded in every important engagement in which heparticipated. Mrs. Costello is still living, and has not married again,remaining true to the memory of her deceased husband. She is a lady of greatculture, and is polished and refined in manner. Beside all this she has borneall her numerous misfortunes with more than christian fortitude.

Additional Comments:
from "Memorial Record of Alabama", Vol. I, p. 661-663
This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/alfiles/

File size: 6.3 Kb