Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1893-11-30
he DIED, AND HE WORE THE GRAY.
"DULcE ET DEcoRUM EST Pro PArRrA
MORI"
A MEMORIAL TRIBUTE TO
Christopher IrsiaEa Dorsey costigin.
BY Capt. George Thomas.
Read before The Sc Mary's Er-Confsderase
Association.

Scarce had the echoes Of the guns from
Sumpter broke. upon the air, than the sons
OF ~. Aary's rallied 10 the aid Of the
Southland, and among them there was
none worthier Of the patriots name zhan
Christopher Ireland Dorsey Costigin, the
only son Of Susan Reeder Dorsey and Syl-
Vester /. Costigin, Of "Summerseai," and
grandson Of the Hon. Clement Dorsey.
Loyalty ard courage were his birthrizhts
from heroic ancestors for on both sides If
tbs house he derived his blood from the
gallant defenders Of the kingly rights Of
Charles |, Of England. in the veins Of
Cavaliers was its heading" A paternal
ancestor, the Chief Of the Clan Osiican,
wGs beheaded by the order Of CromwelI
ON the steps of his ancestral home after
being defeated and taken prisoner in bat
his tenantry; while through his mother he
traced his lineage 70 Henry, the patriotic
Marquis Of Worcester, who was. with one
exception, the last Baron of England To
sh' athe the sword he had drawn for the
Stuarts. His mothers family settled in
Maryland in the 18th century, and many
Of them have been noted as distinguished
jurists as well as fervent patriots, for on
the muster roll of the Revolutionary Army
We find the names of four great grandfaih
e-s of the young hero who gave his life
FOR the Lost Cause,"-Col. John Larken
Dorsey; John Reeder, Of 'Summerseat,'
who was Captain in the End, and after
wards Colonel Of the 4tb Maryland Regi
ment; William Henry Ireland, of the Mary
land Artillery, a descendant Of the last
martyr for religion in England; and John
Hammond, Of Anne Arundel.
The subject of this memorial, who was
named for his uncle, Christopher Costigin,
the first and Inflated explorer of the Dead
Sea, was born a. 'Summerseat,' st. Mary's
county, Maryland. September 5, 1910. and
1t was here his young life, excepting the
years he was student at Georg' town Col
lege, was spent; bis mother, whose idol he
was, refusing 20 li-ten for a moment tn the
often reiterated solicitations of his uncle
Admiral, Sir Henry smith, that she would
send her only 10y Ia him to be placed as a
midshipman in the Royal Navy, his father
sanctipning her refusal, for between the
book loving scholar and his bright, light
hearted boy there existed the tenderest love
and companionship and there was lavished
upon him wealth Of parental affection
he was the last Of bis name and upon hin:
hong The hopes Of the future His envi
r"nments were such as 10 develop the high
est traits of character and nO5eSse O5l,ge
was the keynote of his life. ale honored
his conscience as his king" and bowed in
|. iowly homage before the altar of his God.
Beloved by all who knew him for his sun
; ny disposition and noble spirit, but few
dreamed that the petted idol of the house.
hold; the gay laughter loving youth, who
was the first in the dance, the foremost ia
the headlOng rush Of the hunt, looked for
war with an unshrInking soul to an early
ieath. Bearing the names of two uncles
who died just as they reached mans es
tate he, from childhood, had preadmoni-
Iion hat u similar fate awaited him, and
when, at his cnuntfy's call, he tore himself
firm the embraces of his loved ones, he
knew that never again would his mothers
arms eniold him.
On May 9Th, 1861, Christopher Costigin
gazcd for the last time on his boyhood
home, the home that on march or by the
campfire was ever IN his thoughts. and on
the night Of the 29h of May, he, with a
number Of Comrades crossed the Potomac
aud arrived at Aqua Creek OH the eve of
the battle. Volunteering CIR the fight, the
cool bravery exhibited by the young neo-
phyte in war caused him TO be offered a
lieutenancy in Virginia Company. then
forming, but-his heart was with the "Mary-
land boys" and fastening TO Richmond,
he was enrolled among that heroic band OF
exiles, the LIST Maryland Regiment, becom-
ing member of Capt William II. Muir
rays company. Flom that hour until
The blon1 of his fresh young heart was
shed
On his cpuntry's hallnwed altar"
he never left the field, participating IN the
first battle of Manassas and in all the en-
gagements in the Valley under jackson.
ia June, 1859, on the disbandment of the
LIST Maryland Regiment he Immediately
joined the Light Horse Artillery command
ell by the gallant Pelham, attached to Stu
arts Cavalry He was with Lee in his
Maryland Campaign and followed Stuart's
plume on his celebrated raid into Pennsyl-
vania around the army Of Mcclellan. In
twenty seven battles and shirmishes, he
proved himself "a stem Of the great Plan
tagenet," bearing himself ever calamity in
the fight n model soldier who feared his
Old alone. In an artillery duel at Philo-
mount. he received his death wound being
struck on the knee by fragment of shell,
aud died from the effects of amputatiop,
meeting death as he had ever met the f,e,
| fes.rlessIy and without tremor. dying as be-
came dauntless soldier, faithful Catho-
lie. gladly giving his young life for the
cause he loved So well.
! To YOU. his comrades, il is needless to
speak Of his gallan,ry, his stern sense of
honor. his love for the flag for which he
I fought You were with him in the battles
crash, on the weary march, and by the
bivouac fire From the camp To bis strick-
/ en- home came tender words Of love and
praise for him, telling OF heroic bravery;
4 of ccnIneSs amid storm of shot and shell