John Cochrane (politician)

John Cochrane
28th Attorney General of New York
In office January 1, 1864 – December 31, 1865
Governor	Horatio Seymour Reuben Fenton
Preceded by	Daniel S. Dickinson
Succeeded by	John H. Martindale
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 6th district
In office March 4, 1857 – March 3, 1861
Preceded by	John Wheeler
Succeeded by	Frederick A. Conkling
Personal details
Born	(1813-08-27)August 27, 1813 Palatine, New York, U.S.
Died	February 7, 1898(1898-02-07) (aged 84) New York City, New York, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Other political affiliations	Radical Democracy (1864)
Alma mater	Hamilton College
Signature
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	Union Army
Years of service	1861–1863
Rank	Brigadier General
Commands	65th New York Volunteer Infantry
Battles/wars	American Civil War Peninsula campaign Battle of Fredericksburg

John Cochrane (August 27, 1813 – February 7, 1898) was an American lawyer, soldier, and politician from New York. He was a U.S. Representative, Attorney General of New York, and a Union Army general.

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

U.S. Representative

In 1856, he was elected U.S. Representative from New York's 6th District as a Democrat, and re-elected in 1858, serving in the 35th Congress and 36th Congress, from 1857 to 1861. In Congress he took a prominent part in debates on land reform, revenue, and other public questions. He was defeated for re-election in 1860.

Civil War

At the outbreak of the American Civil War he became a colonel of the 65th New York Volunteer Infantry (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. 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.

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 and War Democrats.

In 1864, he was nominated by the Radical Democracy Party 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. Oakey Hall temporarily retired during the Tweed investigation.

Personal life

Cochrane, who was a member of the Society of the Cincinnati, died at his home at 7 East Sixty-Second Street in Manhattan, and was buried at Albany Rural Cemetery in Menands, New York.

See also

• List of American Civil War generals (Union)

Sources

• This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Gilman, D. C.; Peck, H. T.; Colby, F. M., eds. (1905). New International Encyclopedia (1st ed.). New York: Dodd, Mead. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
• United States Congress. "John Cochrane (id: C000570)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. 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
• List of New York Attorneys General Office of the New York State Attorney General