U.S. Civil War Veteran's Grave in Stockport, England

In a relatively small municipal cemetery in Stockport, Greater Manchester, UK is one of a limited number of known resting places of American Civil War veterans in the UK. The grave marker once had a 3ft high cross mounted above it but it has been damaged recently and the cross now leans on the marker. The grave is in a section of the cemetery used mainly for Catholic burials and the graves around his carry many Irish names. The inscription on the upper part of the sandstone marker reads:- Of your charity pray for the soul of George A. Costello A veteran of the American Civil War who departed this life July 31st. 1915, aged 75 years. R.I.P. The lower part of the marker is partly obstructed but what can be seen reads:- Also Mary Costello, his wife who died Nov. 19th. 1919, aged 78 years. Oh Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on her soul. Also Emily Rose Parr, who died Aug. 26th. 1924, aged 21 years. Also Norah Parr George Costello enlisted, as a paid substitute for a conscripted man, in Company I of the 42nd. New York Infantry Corps. He later served in both the 82nd. Regiment (Company C) and the 59th. Regiment (Company D) and was at some point promoted to the rank of Corporal. After being wounded in the hand by a Minié ball at the the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House (about half way between Washinton DC and Richmond Virginia) which lasted about 2 weeks and resulted in a win for the Grant's troops but cost the Union 18000 casualties (killed and wounded). Due to higher muzzle velocity, Minié ball wounds tended to have particularly bad effects on bone compared to round musket balls and George was unable to carry on as a first line infantryman. He was transferred to the Veteran's Reserve Corps (originally called the Invalid Corps). Family tradition is that George was part of Abraham Lincoln's guard detail at the Ford Theatre on the night that he was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth. The chances are however that this is not true. George returned to his home town of Dublin after the Civil War. He attempted to resume his previous trade as a coach maker but his wounded hand made this difficult. He eventually received a veteran’s pension from the U.S. government. He and his family later (around 1891) moved to Stockport, England, where, by the time of George's death in 1915, his grandson Liam Parr was heavily involved with the Irish Republican movement and organised shipments of arms to the Irish rebels from England. He later took part in the Easter Rising in 1916.

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