26 Facts About Alexander Cochrane

Alexander Inglis Cochrane was a younger son of the Scottish peer Thomas Cochrane, 8th Earl of Dundonald, and his second wife, Jane Stuart.

Alexander Cochrane joined the Royal Navy as a boy and served with British naval forces in North America.

The effect of Alexander Cochrane's actions was to bring Spain back into the war on France's side in 1804.

Alexander Cochrane had been incensed that the brilliant Sir Edward Pellew, a "tarpaulin officer", had been preferred over himself, a well connected aristocrat, as Admiral of the White to become Commander-in-Chief, East Indies.

Alexander Cochrane tried to implicate Sir Edward Pellew, who had good relations with the Governor of Ferrol, in fraud, then making seriously damaging and unfounded allegations against Sir Edward's secretary Fitzgerald.

In 1805 Alexander Cochrane was made commander of the Leeward Islands Station.

Alexander Cochrane conducted operations against the French and Spanish on 6 February 1806 at the Battle of San Domingo during the Napoleonic Wars.

Alexander Cochrane was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath on 29 March 1806 in recognition of his service.

In Barbados, Alexander Cochrane met with General Francisco de Miranda, who had been defeated by Spanish naval forces in an attempt to liberate Venezuela.

Alexander Cochrane held the position of Governor of Guadeloupe from 6 February 1810 to 26 June 1813.

Alexander Cochrane landed the force under Major-General Robert Ross that burned Washington and pushed successful naval forays at the same time.

Alexander Cochrane approved the plan proposed by Rear Admiral Sir George Cockburn, 10th Baronet to attack Washington, after the latter predicted that "within a short period of time, with enough force, we could easily have at our mercy the capital".

Alexander Cochrane transferred his flag to HMS Surprise to facilitate moving up the Patapsco River to direct the 25-hour bombardment of Fort McHenry outside Baltimore, which proved ineffectual.

Alexander Cochrane resisted calls by his junior officers to attack the fort more aggressively with frigates at close range.

Alexander Cochrane ordered a diversionary raid by boats, around 1am on the 14th, to assist the army encamped near Baltimore in their proposed attack on Hampstead Hill, but this diversion had no success.

Alexander Cochrane led the British force that won the Battle of Lake Borgne, in Louisiana, in December 1814 and controlled the soldiers and marines on ships during the Battle of New Orleans.

Alexander Cochrane's forces built a hard short road to New Orleans for use by British armed forces.

The British army was defeated at the Battle of New Orleans on 8 January 1815 and Alexander Cochrane received some criticism for his role in that loss, which prevented the British from gaining a foothold in the US.

In spite of bearing some responsibility for the loss at New Orleans, Alexander Cochrane was later promoted to Admiral of the Blue in 1819.

Alexander Cochrane was a Member of Parliament for Stirling Burghs from 1800 to 1802, and from 1803 to 1806.

Alexander Cochrane was the sixth of the surviving sons of Thomas Cochrane, 8th Earl of Dundonald.

The eldest son Archibald Alexander Cochrane became the earl and lost the family lands on a series of inventions and investments.

The third surviving son, John Alexander Cochrane, was a paymaster and provisioner to the army and navy.

Alexander Cochrane's children included Nathaniel Day Cochrane, who became a rear admiral, and probably the chess player John Cochrane.

The next son, Basil Alexander Cochrane, made a fortune supplying the Royal Navy in India.

The youngest son, Andrew Alexander Cochrane-Johnstone, was an army officer, colonial governor, politician, and fraudster.