John Cochrane (August 27, 1813 – February 7, 1898) was an American lawyer, Union Army general and politician who served two terms in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1857 to 1861.

Early life

John Cochrane was born in Palatine, New York on August 27, 1813, the grandson of John Cochran, Surgeon General of the

Continental Army The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies (the Thirteen Colonies) in the Revolutionary-era United States. It was formed by the Second Continental Congress after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, and was establis ...

. 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, practiced in Oswego and Schenectady, and then moved to New York City.

Career

In 1852, he campaigned for

Franklin Pierce Franklin Pierce (November 23, 1804October 8, 1869) was the 14th president of the United States, serving from 1853 to 1857. He was a northern Democrat who believed that the abolitionist movement was a fundamental threat to the nation's unity ...

who appointed him Surveyor of the Port of New York in 1853.

Tenure in Congress

He was a

Democratic Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

member of the

35th Military units *35th Fighter Wing, an air combat unit of the United States Air Force *35th Infantry Division (United States), a formation of the National Guard since World War I *35th Infantry Regiment (United States), a regiment created on 1 July 1 ...

and

36th United States Congress The 36th 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 ...

es, serving from 1857 to 1861, where he took a prominent part in the debates on land reform, revenue, and other public questions.

Civil War

At the outbreak of the American Civil War he became a colonel of the

65th New York Volunteer Infantry The 65th New York Infantry Regiment (or 1st United States Chasseurs) was an infantry regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The regiment wore distinctive chasseur styled uniforms. Its members were recruited primarily from New Y ...

(also known as the 1st United States Chasseurs), which he commanded in the Peninsular Campaign. In July 1862, he was promoted to brigadier general of volunteers, but resigned his commission in February 1863, ostensibly on account of failing health but more likely as a result of his political maneuverings after Fredericksburg. Before that date, he had commanded a brigade under Brigadier General John Newton of the

VI Corps 6 Corps, 6th Corps, Sixth Corps, or VI Corps may refer to: France * VI Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée), a cavalry formation of the Imperial French army during the Napoleonic Wars * VI Corps (Grande Armée), a formation of the Imperial French army dur ...

. This brigade was present at the

Battle of Fredericksburg The Battle of Fredericksburg was fought December 11–15, 1862, in and around Fredericksburg, Virginia, in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. The combat, between the Union Army of the Potomac commanded by Maj. Gen. Ambrose Burnsi ...

. Cochrane had also agitated for the removal of Ambrose Burnside as commander of the Army of the Potomac.

Alexander Shaler Alexander Shaler (March 19, 1827 – December 28, 1911) 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. Af ...

replaced Cochrane as commander of the brigade.

Later political career

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 Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

and War Democrats. In 1864, he was nominated by the Radical Democracy Party for the vice-presidency on the ticket with

John C. Frémont John Charles Frémont or Fremont (January 21, 1813July 13, 1890) was an American explorer, military officer, and politician. He was a U.S. Senator from California and was the first Republican nominee for president of the United States in 1856 ...

, but Frémont soon withdrew. He was a delegate to the

1868 Republican National Convention The 1868 Republican 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. Ulysses S. Grant won the election and became the 18th president of t ...

. 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 Horace Greeley (February 3, 1811 – November 29, 1872) was an American newspaper editor and publisher who was the founder and newspaper editor, editor of the ''New-York Tribune''. Long active in politics, he served briefly as a congressm ...

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. Oakey Hall Abraham Oakey Hall (July 26, 1826 – October 7, 1898) was an American politician, lawyer, and writer. He served as Mayor of New York from 1869 to 1872 as a Democrat. Hall, known as "Elegant Oakey", was a model of serenity and respectability. R ...

temporarily retired during the Tweed investigation.

Personal life

Cochrane, who was a member of the

Society of the Cincinnati The Society of the Cincinnati is a fraternal, hereditary society founded in 1783 to commemorate the American Revolutionary War that saw the creation of the United States. Membership is largely restricted to descendants of military officers wh ...

, died at his home at 7 East Sixty-Second Street in Manhattan, and was buried at Albany Rural Cemetery in Menands, New York.

References

Sources

* * Retrieved on August 17, 2008 *Staff (September 16, 1863
Nomination for New York State Attorney General
'' The New York Times'' *Staff (February 9, 1898
Obituary
'' The New York Times''
Political Graveyard entry
Office of the New York State Attorney General {{DEFAULTSORT:Cochrane, John 1813 births 1898 deaths Military personnel from New York City Hamilton College (New York) alumni Union Army generals People of New York (state) in the American Civil War New York State Attorneys General Burials at Albany Rural Cemetery New York (state) Republicans Radical Republicans New York (state) Liberal Republicans Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from New York (state) Schuyler family 19th-century American politicians Members of the United States House of Representatives from New York (state)