John Cochrane (general)
Encyclopedia
John Cochrane was an American
lawyer, Union Army general and politician.
, Surgeon General of the Continental Army
.
He studied first at Union College
, but then graduated from Hamilton College in 1831. While attending Union College
, he became a member of the Sigma Phi Society
. Afterwards he studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1834, and practiced in Oswego
and Schenectady, and then moved to New York City.
In 1852, he campaigned for Franklin Pierce
who appointed him Surveyor of the Port of New York
in 1853. He was a Democratic
member of the 35th
and 36th United States Congress
es, serving from 1857 to 1861, where he took a prominent part in the debates on land reform, revenue, and other public questions.
At the outbreak of the American Civil War
he became a colonel of the First United States Chasseurs (65th New York Regiment), which he commanded in the Peninsular Campaign. In July 1862, he was promoted to brigadier general
of volunteers, but resigned his commission in June 1863, on account of failing health. Before that date, he had commanded a brigade under Brigadier General John Newton
of the VI Corps
. This brigade was present at the Battle of Fredericksburg
. Cochrane had also agitated for the removal of Ambrose Burnside
as commander of the Army of the Potomac
. Alexander Shaler
replaced Cochrane as commander of the brigade.
Cochrane was New York State Attorney General
from 1864 to 1865, elected on the ticket which was nominated by the Union
State Convention including Republicans and War Democrats.
In 1864, he was nominated by the Radical Republicans for the vice-presidency on the ticket with John C. Frémont
, but Frémont soon withdrew. He was a delegate to the 1868 Republican National Convention
.
As leader of the New York delegation to the Liberal Republican
Convention at Cincinnati in 1872, he was instrumental in securing the nomination of Horace Greeley
for the presidency.
Afterwards he became a Democrat again, and was elected a Sachem of Tammany Hall
. In 1872 and 1873, he was President of the Common Council of New York City
. As such he was Acting Mayor of New York when Mayor A. Oakley Hall
temporarily retired during the Tweed investigation.
He died at his home at 7 East Sixty-Second Street in Manhattan
, and was buried at Albany Rural Cemetery
in Menands, New York
.
He was a member of the Society of the Cincinnati
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
lawyer, Union Army general and politician.
Life
He was the grandson of John CochranJohn Cochran (military physician)
John Cochran was the 4th Surgeon General of the Continental Army during the American Revolution.-Biography:Cochran was born in Sadsbury, Pennsylvania, the son of Irish immigrants. He served as physician under Lieutenant-Colonel John Bradstreet during his march on Fort Frontenac in 1758...
, Surgeon General of the Continental Army
Continental Army
The Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...
.
He studied first at Union College
Union College
Union College is a private, non-denominational liberal arts college located in Schenectady, New York, United States. Founded in 1795, it was the first institution of higher learning chartered by the New York State Board of Regents. In the 19th century, it became the "Mother of Fraternities", as...
, but then graduated from Hamilton College in 1831. While attending Union College
Union College
Union College is a private, non-denominational liberal arts college located in Schenectady, New York, United States. Founded in 1795, it was the first institution of higher learning chartered by the New York State Board of Regents. In the 19th century, it became the "Mother of Fraternities", as...
, he became a member of the Sigma Phi Society
Sigma Phi
The Sigma Phi Society was founded on 4 March 1827, on the campus of Union College as a part of the Union Triad in Schenectady, New York.It is the second oldest Greek fraternal organization in the United States, and the oldest in continuous existence...
. Afterwards he studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1834, and practiced in Oswego
Oswego, New York
Oswego is a city in Oswego County, New York, United States. The population was 18,142 at the 2010 census. Oswego is located on Lake Ontario in north-central New York and promotes itself as "The Port City of Central New York"...
and Schenectady, and then moved to New York City.
In 1852, he campaigned for Franklin Pierce
Franklin Pierce
Franklin Pierce was the 14th President of the United States and is the only President from New Hampshire. Pierce was a Democrat and a "doughface" who served in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate. Pierce took part in the Mexican-American War and became a brigadier general in the Army...
who appointed him Surveyor of the Port of New York
Port of New York and New Jersey
The Port of New York and New Jersey comprises the waterways in the estuary of the New York-Newark metropolitan area with a port district encompassing an approximate area within a radius of the Statue of Liberty National Monument...
in 1853. He was a Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
member of the 35th
35th United States Congress
The 35th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1857 to March 3, 1859, during the first two years of James...
and 36th United States Congress
36th United States Congress
The Thirty-sixth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1859 to March 4, 1861, during the third and fourth...
es, serving from 1857 to 1861, where he took a prominent part in the debates on land reform, revenue, and other public questions.
At the outbreak of the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
he became a colonel of the First United States Chasseurs (65th New York Regiment), which he commanded in the Peninsular Campaign. In July 1862, he was promoted to brigadier general
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
of volunteers, but resigned his commission in June 1863, on account of failing health. Before that date, he had commanded a brigade under Brigadier General John Newton
John Newton
John Henry Newton was a British sailor and Anglican clergyman. Starting his career on the sea at a young age, he became involved with the slave trade for a few years. After experiencing a religious conversion, he became a minister, hymn-writer, and later a prominent supporter of the abolition of...
of the VI Corps
VI Corps (ACW)
The VI Corps was a corps of the Union Army during the American Civil War.-Formation:The corps was organized as the Sixth Provisional Corps on May 18, 1862, by uniting Maj. Gen. William B. Franklin's Division, which had just arrived on the Virginia Peninsula, with Maj. Gen. William F. Smith's...
. This brigade was present at the Battle of Fredericksburg
Battle of Fredericksburg
The Battle of Fredericksburg was fought December 11–15, 1862, in and around Fredericksburg, Virginia, between General Robert E. Lee's Confederate Army of Northern Virginia and the Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside...
. Cochrane had also agitated for the removal of Ambrose Burnside
Ambrose Burnside
Ambrose Everett Burnside was an American soldier, railroad executive, inventor, industrialist, and politician from Rhode Island, serving as governor and a U.S. Senator...
as commander of the Army of the Potomac
Army of the Potomac
The Army of the Potomac was the major Union Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War.-History:The Army of the Potomac was created in 1861, but was then only the size of a corps . Its nucleus was called the Army of Northeastern Virginia, under Brig. Gen...
. Alexander Shaler
Alexander Shaler
Alexander Shaler was a Union Army general in the American Civil War. He received the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions at the Second Battle of Fredericksburg...
replaced Cochrane as commander of the brigade.
Cochrane was New York State Attorney General
New York State Attorney General
The New York State Attorney General is the chief legal officer of the State of New York. The office has been in existence in some form since 1626, under the Dutch colonial government of New York.The current Attorney General is Eric Schneiderman...
from 1864 to 1865, elected on the ticket which was nominated by the Union
National Union Party (United States)
The National Union Party was the name used by the Republican Party for the national ticket in the 1864 presidential election, held during the Civil War. State Republican parties did not usually change their name....
State Convention including Republicans and War Democrats.
In 1864, he was nominated by the Radical Republicans for the vice-presidency on the ticket with John C. Frémont
John C. Frémont
John Charles Frémont , was an American military officer, explorer, and the first candidate of the anti-slavery Republican Party for the office of President of the United States. During the 1840s, that era's penny press accorded Frémont the sobriquet The Pathfinder...
, but Frémont soon withdrew. He was a delegate to the 1868 Republican National Convention
1868 Republican National Convention
The 1868 National Convention of the Republican Party of the United States was held in Crosby's Opera House, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, on May 20 to May 21, 1868....
.
As leader of the New York delegation to the Liberal Republican
Liberal Republican Party (United States)
The Liberal Republican Party of the United States was a political party that was organized in Cincinnati in May 1872, to oppose the reelection of President Ulysses S. Grant and his Radical Republican supporters. The party's candidate in that year's presidential election was Horace Greeley, longtime...
Convention at Cincinnati in 1872, he was instrumental in securing the nomination of Horace Greeley
Horace Greeley
Horace Greeley was an American newspaper editor, a founder of the Liberal Republican Party, a reformer, a politician, and an outspoken opponent of slavery...
for the presidency.
Afterwards he became a Democrat again, and was elected a Sachem of Tammany Hall
Tammany Hall
Tammany Hall, also known as the Society of St. Tammany, the Sons of St. Tammany, or the Columbian Order, was a New York political organization founded in 1786 and incorporated on May 12, 1789 as the Tammany Society...
. In 1872 and 1873, he was President of the Common Council of New York City
New York City Council
The New York City Council is the lawmaking body of the City of New York. It has 51 members from 51 council districts throughout the five boroughs. The Council serves as a check against the mayor in a "strong" mayor-council government model. The council monitors performance of city agencies and...
. As such he was Acting Mayor of New York when Mayor A. Oakley Hall
A. Oakley Hall
Abraham Oakey Hall was an American politician, lawyer, and writer. He served as Mayor of New York from 1869 to 1872. He was alleged to have been part of the vilified "Tweed Ring"...
temporarily retired during the Tweed investigation.
He died at his home at 7 East Sixty-Second Street in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, and was buried at Albany Rural Cemetery
Albany Rural Cemetery
The Albany Rural Cemetery was established October 7, 1844, in Menands, New York, just outside of the city of Albany, New York. It is renowned as one of the most beautiful, pastoral cemeteries in the United States, at over . Many historical American figures are buried there.-History:On April 2,...
in Menands, New York
Menands, New York
Menands is a village in Albany County, New York, United States. The population was 3,990 at the 2010 census. The village is named after Louis Menand...
.
He was a member of the Society of the Cincinnati
Society of the Cincinnati
The Society of the Cincinnati is a historical organization with branches in the United States and France founded in 1783 to preserve the ideals and fellowship of the American Revolutionary War officers and to pressure the government to honor pledges it had made to officers who fought for American...
.
See also
- List of American Civil War generals