Admiral Sir Alexander Cochrane (April 23, 1758-January 26, 1832) was a senior Royal Navy commander during the Napoleonic Wars. He was a son of the Scottish peer Thomas Cochrane , the eighth Earl of Dundonald, and an uncle of Admiral Thomas Cochrane, the 10th earl. Much of his career was spent with British naval forces in North America, where he saw service in the American Revolution and the War of 1812. He was knighted in 1806 (into the Order of the Bath) for his services in West Indian operations against the French and Spanish.
During the War of 1812, Sir Alexander, then a Vice Admiral, served as Commander-in-Chief of the North American Station. He was responsible for the bombardment of Fort McHenry in Baltimore, Maryland, the event which gave rise to Francis Scott Key's poem which became "The Star Spangled Banner."
Cochrane was promoted to full admiral in 1819. From 1821-1824, he was Commander-in-Chief of the entire British fleet. He died in Paris in January, 1832.
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Last updated: 08-22-2005 19:42:06
