Changes: Alexander Cochrane

Sir Alexander Inglis Cochrane
Sir Alexander Inglis Cochrane
Born	23 April 1758
Died	26 January 1832 (aged 73)
Place of death	Paris, France
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Navy
Rank	Admiral
Commands held	North American Station; Plymouth Command
Battles/wars	American War of Independence; War of 1812
Awards	Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath

Latest revision as of 05:11, 21 January 2021

Sir Alexander Inglis Cochrane GCB RN (23 April 1758 – 26 January 1832, born Alexander Forrester Cochrane^[1]) was a senior Royal Navy commander during the Napoleonic Wars and achieved the rank of Admiral. He was knighted for his service

Naval career

Alexander Inglis Cochrane was born a younger son of the Scottish peer Thomas Cochrane, the eighth Earl of Dundonald, and his wife.^[1] He joined the Royal Navy as a boy and served with British naval forces in North America. He served during the American War of Independence.^[1]

Cochrane also participated in the Egyptian operations in 1801.^[1] When Alexandria fell, Cochrane, in the 74-gun third-rate HMS Ajax, with the sixth-rate HMS Bonne Citoyenne, the HMS Cynthia, the brig-sloops HMS Port Mahon and HMS Victorieuse, and three Turkish corvettes, were the first vessels to enter the harbour.

In 1805 he was made commander of the Leeward Islands station.^[1] He conducted operations against the French and Spanish on 6 February 1806 at the Battle of San Domingo during the Napoleonic Wars.^[1] A cannonball blew his hat off his head while he was on the deck of his flagship, HMS Northumberland. He was knighted and appointed KCB on 29 March 1806 in recognition of his service.^[1] Other rewards included thanks from both Houses of Parliament, freedom of the city of London, and a sword valued at 100 guineas.^[1] In 1807 he sailed in HMS Belleisle (74 guns) in the expedition against Danish Islands. In 1809 commanded naval forces in the conquest of Martinique.^[2]

From April 1814, during the War of 1812 against the United States, Cochrane, then a vice admiral, served as Commander-in-Chief of the North American Station, based at the new dockyard in Bermuda.^[1] He landed the force under General Ross that burned Washington and pushed successful naval forays at the same time. Initially he wanted to attack Rhode Island in New England after the success at Washington, but was dissuaded by Ross and Admiral Cockburn, who wanted to go after the bigger prize of Baltimore, Maryland. During the Battle of Baltimore, Cochrane directed the bombardment of Fort McHenry in Baltimore, which proved ineffectual. He resisted calls to attack the fort more aggressively with frigates. He ordered a diversionary raid by boats to assist the army encamped near Baltimore in their proposed attack on Hampstead hill (which they canceled and withdrew), but this diversion had no success. The navy's failure at Baltimore effectively canceled out the success of Washington. In Baltimore, the British used bomb vessels and rocket ship, which inspired Francis Scott Key's poem that became "The Star-Spangled Banner," the US national anthem. Cochrane led the British force that won the Battle of Lake Borgne in December 1814 in Louisiana. His forces built a hard short road to New Orleans for use by British armed forces. But, the British army was defeated at the Battle of New Orleans in January 1815. As news that Britain had ratified the peace treaty (theTreaty of Ghent) had not reached the battlefield, the Battle of New Orleans was fought after the war was ended. The peace treaty was being carried to Washington for ratification by the United States Congress.

The Duke of Wellington held that the failure of the New Orleans campaign was largely the fault of Cochrane. In a eulogy to General Edward Pakenham, killed at New Orleans, he said:

I cannot but regret that he was ever employed on such a service or with such a colleague. The expedition to New Orleans originated with that colleague.... The Americans were prepared with an army in a fortified position which still would have been carried, if the duties of others, that is of the Admiral (Sir Alexander Cochrane), had been as well performed as that of he whom we now lament.^[3]

Despite the lack of success and damage to British prestige that occurred by the defeat of British forces at the Battle of New Orleans, Cochrane was promoted to admiral in 1819. From 1821 to 1824, he was Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth.^[1] He died in Paris on 26 January 1832.

Family

In 1788 he married Maria Shaw; they had three sons and two daughters.^[1] His son Thomas John Cochrane was entered in the Royal Navy at the age of seven; he rose to become colonial governor of the colony of Newfoundland, and Admiral of the Fleet; he also received a knighthood in the Order of the Bath.

Alexander Cochrane was the sixth of the surviving sons of Thomas Cochrane, 8th Earl of Dundonald. The eldest son Archibald Cochrane became the earl and lost the family lands on a series of inventions and investments. Many of the younger sons served in the military or had careers supplying it. The next brother, Charles, served in the army and was killed at the Siege of Yorktown; he had married to Catherine, the daughter of Major John Pitcairn. The third surviving son, John Cochrane, was a paymaster and provisioner to the army and navy. His children included Nathaniel Day Cochrane, who became a Royal Navy captain and published a book of his travels in Russia, and probably of the chess player John Cochrane. The next son, Basil Cochrane, made a fortune supplying the Royal Navy in India. Alexander was the sixth son. The seventh, George Augustus Frederick Cochrane, had an army career and served in Parliament. The youngest son, Andrew Cochrane-Johnstone, was an army officer, colonial governor, politician, and fraudster.

The Earl of St. Vincent wrote of the Cochrane brothers in 1806, "The Cochranes are not to be trusted out of sight, they are all mad, romantic, money-getting and not truth-telling—and there is not a single exception in any part of the family."^[4]

References

↑ ^1.00 ^1.01 ^1.02 ^1.03 ^1.04 ^1.05 ^1.06 ^1.07 ^1.08 ^1.09 ^1.10 Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.
↑ Anderson, p. 102.
↑ Holmes, Richard (2003). Wellington: The Iron Duke, Harper and Collins, p. 206.
↑ "Andrew Cochrane-Johnstone" (1767-1833), The History of Parliament online

Bibliography

Anderson, William. (1862). The Scottish Nation: Or The Surnames, Families, Literature, Honours, and Biographical History of the People of Scotland. Fullarton.

External links

Significant Scots: Sir Alexander Cochrane - Biography from ElectricScotland.com

Military offices
Preceded by Sir John Warren	Commander-in-Chief, North American Station 1814–1815	Succeeded by Sir David Milne
Preceded by Viscount Exmouth	Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth 1821–1824	Succeeded by Sir James Saumarez

All or a portion of this article consists of text from Wikipedia, and is therefore Creative Commons Licensed under GFDL.
The original article can be found at Alexander Cochrane and the edit history here.

[odnb-1] 1.00 ^1.01 ^1.02 ^1.03 ^1.04 ^1.05 ^1.06 ^1.07 ^1.08 ^1.09 ^1.10 Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.

[2] Anderson, p. 102.

[3] Holmes, Richard (2003). Wellington: The Iron Duke, Harper and Collins, p. 206.

[4] "Andrew Cochrane-Johnstone" (1767-1833), The History of Parliament online

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

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-{{for|the footballer|Sandy Cochrane}}
-{{cleanup|reason=References need to be wikified.|date=May 2012}}
 {{Infobox military person
-|honorific_prefix  =
 |name              =Sir Alexander Inglis Cochrane
-|honorific_suffix  =
-|native_name       =
-|native_name_lang  =
 |image         = Alexander Cochrane.jpg
 |caption       =
@@ Line 12: / Line 6: @@
 |death_date    ={{Death date and age|1832|01|26|1758|04|23|df=yes}}
 |birth_place   =
-|death_place   =[[Paris]], [[France]]
+|death_place   =Paris, France
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+|branch        =[[File:Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.png|23px]] [[Royal Navy]]
 |serviceyears  =
 |rank          =[[Admiral (Royal Navy)|Admiral]]
-|servicenumber =
 |unit          =
 |commands      =[[North America and West Indies Station|North American Station]]<br>[[Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth|Plymouth Command]]
 |battles       =[[American War of Independence]]<br>[[War of 1812]]
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 |awards        =[[Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath]]
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 '''Sir Alexander Inglis Cochrane''' [[Order of the Bath|GCB]] [[Royal Navy|RN]] (23 April 1758 – 26 January 1832, born Alexander Forrester Cochrane<ref name=odnb>[http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/5749 ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography''.]</ref>) was a senior [[Royal Navy]] commander during the [[Napoleonic Wars]] and achieved the rank of [[Admiral (Royal Navy)|Admiral]]. He was knighted for his service
-== Naval career ==
+==Naval career==
-Alexander Inglis Cochrane was born a younger son of the [[Scotland|Scottish]] [[Peerage|peer]] [[Thomas Cochrane, 8th Earl of Dundonald|Thomas Cochrane]], the eighth [[Earl of Dundonald]], and his wife.<ref name=odnb /> He joined the [[Royal Navy]] as a boy and served with British naval forces in [[North America]]. He served during the [[American War of Independence]].<ref name=odnb/>
+Alexander Inglis Cochrane was born a younger son of the Scottish peer [[Thomas Cochrane, 8th Earl of Dundonald|Thomas Cochrane]], the eighth [[Earl of Dundonald]], and his wife.<ref name=odnb /> He joined the [[Royal Navy]] as a boy and served with British naval forces in North America. He served during the [[American War of Independence]].<ref name=odnb/>
-Cochrane also participated in the [[Egyptian]] operations in 1801.<ref name=odnb/> When [[Alexandria]] fell, Cochrane, in the 74-gun [[third-rate]] [[HMS Ajax (1798)|HMS ''Ajax'']], with the [[sixth-rate]] [[HMS Bonne Citoyenne (1796)|HMS ''Bonne Citoyenne'']], the [[HMS Cynthia (1796)|HMS ''Cynthia'']], the brig-sloops [[HMS Port Mahon (1798)|HMS ''Port Mahon'']] and [[HMS Victorieuse|HMS ''Victorieuse'']], and three Turkish corvettes, were the first vessels to enter the harbour.
+Cochrane also participated in the Egyptian operations in 1801.<ref name=odnb/> When Alexandria fell, Cochrane, in the 74-gun [[third-rate]] [[HMS Ajax (1798)|HMS ''Ajax'']], with the [[sixth-rate]] [[HMS Bonne Citoyenne (1796)|HMS ''Bonne Citoyenne'']], the [[HMS Cynthia (1796)|HMS ''Cynthia'']], the brig-sloops [[HMS Port Mahon (1798)|HMS ''Port Mahon'']] and [[HMS Victorieuse|HMS ''Victorieuse'']], and three Turkish corvettes, were the first vessels to enter the harbour.
-In 1805 he was made commander of the [[Leeward Islands]] station.<ref name=odnb/> He conducted operations against the [[France|French]] and [[Spain|Spanish]] on 6 February 1806 at the [[Battle of San Domingo]] during the [[Napoleonic Wars]].<ref name=odnb/> A [[Round shot|cannonball]] blew his hat off his head while he was on the deck of his flagship, [[HMS Northumberland (1798)|HMS ''Northumberland'']]. He was knighted and appointed [[Order of the Bath|KCB]] on 29 March 1806 in recognition of his service.<ref name=odnb/> Other rewards included thanks from both Houses of Parliament, [[freedom of the city]] of London, and a sword valued at 100 guineas.<ref name=odnb/>
+In 1805 he was made commander of the Leeward Islands station.<ref name=odnb/> He conducted operations against the French and Spanish on 6 February 1806 at the [[Battle of San Domingo]] during the [[Napoleonic Wars]].<ref name=odnb/> A [[Round shot|cannonball]] blew his hat off his head while he was on the deck of his flagship, [[HMS Northumberland (1798)|HMS ''Northumberland'']]. He was knighted and appointed [[Order of the Bath|KCB]] on 29 March 1806 in recognition of his service.<ref name=odnb/> Other rewards included thanks from both Houses of Parliament, freedom of the city of London, and a sword valued at 100 guineas.<ref name=odnb/>
 In 1807 he sailed in [[HMS Belleisle (1795)|HMS ''Belleisle'']] (74 guns) in the expedition against [[Danish Islands]]. In 1809 commanded naval forces in the [[Invasion of Martinique (1809)|conquest of Martinique]].<ref>Anderson, p. 102.</ref>
-From April 1814, during the [[War of 1812]] against the United States, Cochrane, then a [[vice admiral]], served as [[Commander-in-Chief]] of the [[North America and West Indies Station|North American Station]], based at the new [[Royal Naval Dockyard, Bermuda|dockyard]] in [[Bermuda]].<ref name=odnb/> He landed the force under General Ross that [[Burning of Washington|burned Washington]] and pushed successful naval forays at the same time. Initially he wanted to attack [[Rhode Island]] in New England after the success at Washington, but was dissuaded by Ross and Admiral Cockburn, who wanted to go after the bigger prize of [[Baltimore]], [[Maryland]].
+From April 1814, during the [[War of 1812]] against the United States, Cochrane, then a [[vice admiral]], served as [[Commander-in-Chief]] of the [[North America and West Indies Station|North American Station]], based at the new [[Royal Naval Dockyard, Bermuda|dockyard]] in Bermuda.<ref name=odnb/> He landed the force under General Ross that [[Burning of Washington|burned Washington]] and pushed successful naval forays at the same time. Initially he wanted to attack Rhode Island in New England after the success at Washington, but was dissuaded by Ross and Admiral Cockburn, who wanted to go after the bigger prize of Baltimore, Maryland.
+During the [[Battle of Baltimore]], Cochrane directed the bombardment of [[Fort McHenry]] in Baltimore, which proved ineffectual. He resisted calls to attack the fort more aggressively with frigates. He ordered a diversionary raid by boats to assist the army encamped near Baltimore in their proposed attack on Hampstead hill (which they canceled and withdrew), but this diversion had no success. The navy's failure at Baltimore effectively canceled out the success of Washington. In Baltimore, the British used bomb vessels and rocket ship, which inspired Francis Scott Key's poem that became "[[The Star-Spangled Banner]]," the US national anthem.
+Cochrane led the British force that won the [[Battle of Lake Borgne]] in December 1814 in Louisiana. His forces built a hard short road to New Orleans for use by British armed forces. But, the British army was defeated at the [[Battle of New Orleans]] in January 1815. As news that Britain had ratified the peace treaty (the[[Treaty of Ghent]]) had not reached the battlefield, the Battle of New Orleans was fought after the war was ended. The peace treaty was being carried to Washington for ratification by the United States Congress.
-During the [[Battle of Baltimore]], Cochrane directed the bombardment of [[Fort McHenry]] in Baltimore, which proved ineffectual. He resisted calls to attack the fort more aggressively with frigates. He ordered a diversionary raid by boats to assist the army encamped near Baltimore in their proposed attack on Hampstead hill (which they canceled and withdrew), but this diversion had no success. The navy's failure at Baltimore effectively canceled out the success of Washington. In Baltimore, the British used bomb vessels and rocket ship, which inspired [[Francis Scott Key]]'s poem that became "[[The Star-Spangled Banner]]," the US national anthem.
-Cochrane led the British force that won the [[Battle of Lake Borgne]] in December 1814 in [[Louisiana]]. His forces built a hard short road to New Orleans for use by British armed forces. But, the British army was defeated at the [[Battle of New Orleans]] in January 1815. As news that Britain had ratified the peace treaty (the[[Treaty of Ghent]]) had not reached the battlefield, the Battle of New Orleans was fought after the war was ended. The peace treaty was being carried to Washington for ratification by the United States Congress.
 The [[Duke of Wellington]] held that the failure of the New Orleans campaign was largely the fault of Cochrane. In a eulogy to General [[Edward Pakenham]], killed at New Orleans, he said:
 <blockquote><p>I cannot but regret that he was ever employed on such a service or with such a colleague. The expedition to New Orleans originated with that colleague.... The Americans were prepared with an army in a fortified position which still would have been carried, if the duties of others, that is of the Admiral ([[Sir Alexander Cochrane]]), had been as well performed as that of he whom we now lament.<ref>Holmes, Richard (2003). ''Wellington: The Iron Duke'', Harper and Collins, p. 206.</ref></p></blockquote>
-Despite the lack of success and damage to British prestige that occurred by the defeat of British forces at the Battle of New Orleans, Cochrane was promoted to [[Admiral (United Kingdom)|admiral]] in 1819. From 1821 to 1824, he was [[Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth]].<ref name=odnb/> He died in [[Paris]] on 26 January 1832.
+Despite the lack of success and damage to British prestige that occurred by the defeat of British forces at the Battle of New Orleans, Cochrane was promoted to [[Admiral (United Kingdom)|admiral]] in 1819. From 1821 to 1824, he was [[Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth]].<ref name=odnb/> He died in Paris on 26 January 1832.
-== Family ==
+==Family==
-In 1788 he married Maria Shaw; they had three sons and two daughters.<ref name=odnb/> His son [[Thomas John Cochrane]] was entered in the Royal Navy at the age of seven; he rose to become colonial governor of the [[colony of Newfoundland]], and [[Admiral of the Fleet]]; he also received a knighthood in the Order of the Bath.
+In 1788 he married Maria Shaw; they had three sons and two daughters.<ref name=odnb/> His son [[Thomas John Cochrane]] was entered in the Royal Navy at the age of seven; he rose to become colonial governor of the colony of Newfoundland, and [[Admiral of the Fleet]]; he also received a knighthood in the Order of the Bath.
 Alexander Cochrane was the sixth of the surviving sons of [[Thomas Cochrane, 8th Earl of Dundonald]]. The eldest son [[Archibald Cochrane, 9th Earl of Dundonald|Archibald Cochrane]] became the earl and lost the family lands on a series of inventions and investments. Many of the younger sons served in the military or had careers supplying it. The next brother,  Charles, served in the army and was killed at the [[Siege of Yorktown]]; he had married to Catherine, the daughter of Major [[John Pitcairn]]. The third surviving son, John Cochrane, was a paymaster and provisioner to the army and navy. His children included [[Nathaniel Day Cochrane]], who became a Royal Navy captain and published a book of his travels in Russia, and probably of the chess player [[John Cochrane (chess player)|John Cochrane]]. The next son, [[Basil Cochrane]], made a fortune supplying the Royal Navy in India. Alexander was the sixth son. The seventh, George Augustus Frederick Cochrane, had an army career and served in Parliament. The youngest son, [[Andrew Cochrane-Johnstone]], was an army officer, colonial governor, politician, and fraudster.
@@ Line 62: / Line 43: @@
 The [[John Jervis, 1st Earl of St Vincent|Earl of St. Vincent]] wrote of the Cochrane brothers in 1806, "The Cochranes are not to be trusted out of sight, they are all mad, romantic, money-getting and not truth-telling—and there is not a single exception in any part of the family."<ref>[http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1790-1820/member/cochrane-(afterwards-cochrane-johnstone-)-hon-andrew-james-1767-1833 "Andrew Cochrane-Johnstone" (1767-1833)], The History of Parliament online</ref>
-== References ==
+==References==
 {{reflist}}
-== Bibliography ==
+==Bibliography==
 * Anderson, William. (1862). ''The Scottish Nation: Or The Surnames, Families, Literature, Honours, and Biographical History of the People of Scotland''. Fullarton.
-== External links ==
+==External links==
 *[http://www.electricscotland.com/history/other/cochrane_alexander.htm Significant Scots: Sir Alexander Cochrane] - Biography from ElectricScotland.com
@@ Line 78: / Line 59: @@
 {{end}}
+{{Wikipedia|Alexander Cochrane}}
-{{Authority control|VIAF=66458725}}
-{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. -->
-|NAME              =Cochrane, Alexander
-|ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
-|SHORT DESCRIPTION =Senior Royal Navy commander
-|DATE OF BIRTH     =23 April 1758
-|PLACE OF BIRTH    =
-|DATE OF DEATH     =26 January 1832
-|PLACE OF DEATH    =[[Paris]], [[France]]
-}}
 {{DEFAULTSORT:Cochrane, Alexander}}
 [[Category:1758 births]]
@@ Line 94: / Line 66: @@
 [[Category:Royal Navy admirals]]
 [[Category:Scottish sailors]]
-[[Category:British naval personnel of the War of 1812]]
+[[Category:Royal Navy personnel of the War of 1812]]
-[[Category:British naval personnel of the Napoleonic Wars]]
+[[Category:Royal Navy personnel of the Napoleonic Wars]]
 [[Category:Scottish Episcopalians]]
 [[Category:Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath]]

Sir Alexander Inglis Cochrane

Born	(1758-04-23)23 April 1758
Died	26 January 1832(1832-01-26) (aged 73)
Place of death	Paris, France
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Navy
Rank	Admiral
Commands held	North American Station Plymouth Command
Battles/wars	American War of Independence War of 1812
Awards	Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath