Thomas Cochrane 10th earl of Dundonald

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Thomas Cochrane Dundonald, 10th earl of

The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition | 2008 | The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. Copyright 2008 Columbia University Press. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

Thomas Cochrane Dundonald, 10th earl of 1775-1860, British naval commander. He served in the Napoleonic Wars, executing his assignments with a boldness and originality sometimes too radical for the admiralty. Given charge of a British naval force in the Bay of Biscay, he brilliantly succeeded in crippling a French fleet (1809); but he criticized the handling of the fleet by his commander in chief, Lord Gambier, and was discredited when a court-martial acquitted Gambier. In 1814 he was accused, perhaps falsely, of implication in a stock market fraud. Dismissed from the navy, he went to South America, where, as admiral of the Chilean navy, he was prominent in the liberation of Chile and Peru. He aided the newly independent nation of Brazil from 1823 to 1825, and in 1827 he commanded the Greek navy in the war of liberation against Turkey. The next year he returned to England. He received a pardon and was reinstated (1832) in the navy, eventually becoming admiral.

Bibliography: See biography by W. Tute (1965); study by H. Cecil (1965).

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Cochrane, Thomas, 10th earl of Dundonald

A Dictionary of British History | 2004 | | © A Dictionary of British History 2004, originally published by Oxford University Press 2004. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

Cochrane, Thomas, 10th earl of Dundonald [S] (1775–1860). Cochrane had a long and colourful life. In 1793 he joined the navy, in which his uncle was serving. During 1800–1 he commanded the Speedy, preying upon Spanish shipping. Next he took up politics, was returned to Parliament in 1806 for Honiton, and then Westminster as partner to Sir Francis Burdett. They formed a radical pair, urging parliamentary reform. In 1814 Cochrane was involved in a Stock Exchange fraud, sentenced to a year in prison, and expelled from Parliament. His Westminster constituents returned him again, but he failed to become a second Wilkes. In 1818, abandoning Parliament, he left for South America, where Spain's colonies were in rebellion, and performed deeds of heroism on behalf of Chile, Peru, and Brazil. He was employed once more 1848–51 as commander‐in‐chief West Indies and promoted admiral. Cochrane was a vigorous and brave leader of men, but a bad subordinate. An uncomfortable national hero, he was buried in Westminster abbey.

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JOHN CANNON. "Cochrane, Thomas, 10th earl of Dundonald." A Dictionary of British History. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (December 23, 2009). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O43-CochraneThms10thrlfDndnld.html

JOHN CANNON. "Cochrane, Thomas, 10th earl of Dundonald." A Dictionary of British History. 2004. Retrieved December 23, 2009 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O43-CochraneThms10thrlfDndnld.html

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Cochrane, Thomas, 10th earl of Dundonald

The Oxford Companion to British History | 2002 | | © The Oxford Companion to British History 2002, originally published by Oxford University Press 2002. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

Cochrane, Thomas, 10th earl of Dundonald [S] (1775–1860). Cochrane had a long and colourful life. The family was impoverished and he had to make his own way in the world. In 1793 he joined the navy, in which his uncle was serving. During 1800–1 he commanded the Speedy, preying upon Spanish shipping, and captured a frigate three times the size of his own ship. Next he took up politics, was returned to Parliament in 1806 for Honiton, and then Westminster as partner to Sir Francis Burdett. They formed a radical pair, urging parliamentary reform. In 1809 he was given charge of a fireship attack on a French squadron in Aix roads, quarrelled with Gambier, his superior officer, had him court-martialled, and lost. In 1814 Cochrane was involved in a Stock Exchange fraud, sentenced to a year in prison, stripped of his honours, and expelled from Parliament. His radical Westminster constituents returned him again, but he failed to become a second Wilkes. In 1818, abandoning Parliament, he left for South America, where Spain's colonies were in rebellion, and performed deeds of heroism on behalf of Chile, Peru, and Brazil. After that he commanded for the Greeks against the Turks without notable success. Returning to England, he succeeded as earl in 1831 and was given a free pardon in 1832. He was employed once more 1848–51 as commander-in-chief West Indies and promoted admiral. Cochrane was a vigorous and brave leader of men, but a bad subordinate and was never entrusted with supreme command. An uncomfortable national hero, he was buried in Westminster abbey.

J. A. Cannon

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JOHN CANNON. "Cochrane, Thomas, 10th earl of Dundonald." The Oxford Companion to British History. Oxford University Press. 2002. Encyclopedia.com. 23 Dec. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

JOHN CANNON. "Cochrane, Thomas, 10th earl of Dundonald." The Oxford Companion to British History. Oxford University Press. 2002. Encyclopedia.com. (December 23, 2009). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O110-CochraneThms10thrlfDndnld.html

JOHN CANNON. "Cochrane, Thomas, 10th earl of Dundonald." The Oxford Companion to British History. Oxford University Press. 2002. Retrieved December 23, 2009 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O110-CochraneThms10thrlfDndnld.html

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Newspaper article from: The Sunday Telegraph London; 9/2/2007; ; 700+ words ; ...the west coast of France. Cochrane, with a few selected men...mile from the French fleet, Cochrane lit the fuses, jumped down...fire by their own crews. Thomas Cochrane, the 10th Earl of Dundonald, was a man of outstanding...
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Newspaper article from: The Independent - London; 10/10/2000; ; 700+ words ; ...story of Aubrey's model: Thomas Cochrane (1776-1860), 10th Earl of Dundonald. For all his setbacks...thoroughly independent-minded Cochrane got no further than captain...and the pillory. Nor did Cochrane have a loyal friend like...
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Newspaper article from: Scotland on Sunday; 9/26/1999; ; 700+ words ; ...of Forester's literary hero was Thomas Cochrane, who became the 10th Earl of Dundonald. Grainger, who researched Cochrane's background during work for the...history magazine History Today. Cochrane, although a navy hero, was described...
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Newspaper article from: The Mail on Sunday (London, England); 11/2/2003; 700+ words ; ...Maritime Society, contends that Cochrane was the victim of an official...tarred his name.' Ironically, Cochrane is still regarded as a great...his own country Admiral Lord Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald, is known only to naval historians...
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Newspaper article from: The Independent - London; 12/14/1998; 700+ words ; ...explorer of Africa, 1730; Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald, admiral, 1775; The Rev Charles...composer and architect, 1710; Thomas Rymer, archaeologist, 1713; Thomas Tenison, Archbishop of Canterbury...
In bed with Chile's torturers.
Newspaper article from: The Evening Standard (London, England); 6/10/2002; ; 700+ words ; ...19th century when Chile was angling for independence from Spain. Answering the call came adventurer Thomas Cochrane, 10th earl of Dundonald. His "liberation" of Chile was successful, and also opened up the country to capitalists, of whom...
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Newspaper article from: The Daily Mail (London, England); 4/1/2004; 700+ words ; ...rooted in historical fact. The character of Captain Jack Aubrey is modelled on the real-life Lord Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald, and his adventures in the Napoleonic Wars. Britain was then locked in a life-ordeath struggle with...
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Newspaper article from: Winnipeg Free Press; 10/14/2007; ; 700+ words ; Cochrane The Real Master and Commander By...book particularly timely. Capt. Thomas Cochrane provided the naval model for both...and intrigue as any good novel. Cochrane, the 10th Earl of Dundonald, came from a noble Scottish family...

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