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Marine Officers sword to Capt H.H. Coston active 1865 to 1892


nbolinger
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I picked this sword up this week, and was told should be hard to ID the original owner. From what i can tell it was owned by a Captain H.H Coston who served from 1865 to 1892. Can anybody tell me when the sword dates from 1870s 1880s. At first i could not find a makers mark but i see the work Chicago where a makers mark would be. Can only make out that one word. Any help would be great. Thanks for your time.

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post-9905-0-10850600-1416688672.jpg

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Coston, H. H.
Second Lieutenant, 9 March, 1865. First Lieutenant, 18 May, 1871. Captain, 9 March 1888. Retired 14 June, 1892. Died 6 November, 1896, at Pensacola, Fla.

Cowan, William.

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I found the following obituary in the Evening Star of Washington DC November 7th 1896 - Death of Captain Coston

Captain Henry H Coston of the Marine Corps retired died yesterday afternoon at his home in Pensacola Florida he contracted a severe cold during the late revolution in Chile from which he never recovered he will be buried in Pensacola.

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I found a second obituary in the November 12, 1896, edition of the Evening Star, which gives a little more information about Coston:

 

DEATH OF CAPT. COSTON

 

Capt. Henry H. Coston of the Marine Corps, who died at Pensacola, Florida, last week, was a native of this city and entered the Marine Corps in 1861. Besides his sea service he served at the naval stations of New York, Pensacola, and Norfolk. He was retired in 1893 on account of ill health. He was the son of B.F. Coston, inventor of the Coston distress signals that are used in the navy.

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American Heritage

incredible ID'ed USMC officer mameluke! Is there no name engraved on the blade at all? Just the initials on the scabbard? How did they know the name of the officer to begin with, what is the story on that name being passed down with it?

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Thanks for all the positive comments on the sword. The sword has the initials engraved on the blade also, it also has the box on the outside like the engraving on the scabbard. I did a search of the Marine Corps officers roster from 1790 to 1900 and he was the only officer in the Marine Corps with these initials. Was fun research and didn't take to much effort on my part.The sword came out of a antique shop and they got it long ago at a estate e sale.

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Frank Trzaska

Very impressive find! I always love to hear successful stories like this, it recharges me to continue looking.

 

All the best

Frank Trzaska

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deadpeoplesjunk

Not Chicago, it says ''chicopee'' as in Ames, Chicopee Mass.Besides the stations listed,He was on the steamers Hartford, Juniata, and Finally the Baltimore, which was involved in the Chile hostilities,so that may have something to do with the obit comment about him never recovering from the cold he got there.

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