John Cochran (general)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

John Cochrane (1813 – 1898) was an American soldier, lawyer, and Congressman from the State of New York.

Cochran was born in Palatine, New York. He graduated at Hamilton College in 1831, and served as surveyor of the port of New York from 1853 to 1857. From then until 1861, he was a Democratic member of Congress, where he took a prominent part in the debates on land reform, revenue, and other public questions.

At the outbreak of the Civil War he became Colonel of the First United States Chasseurs, which he commanded in the Peninsular Campaign. In July 1862, he was appointed brigadier general of volunteers, but resigned his commission in June 1863 on account of failing health. He was Attorney-General of New York State in 1863-65.

In 1864 he was nominated by a small faction of the Republicans for the vice-presidency on the ticket with John C. Frémont, but Frémont soon withdrew.

As leader of the New York delegation to the Cincinnati Convention in 1872, he was instrumental in securing the nomination of Horace Greeley for the presidency. At the time of the Tweed-Ring disclosures in 1872 he became acting mayor of New York City.