Lord Thomas Cochrane

Founder of the Chilean Navy
1775 – 1860

Throughout his life, the British sailor Thomas Alexander Cochrane fought for the freedom of four nations: Chile, Peru, Brazil, and Greece. Born into an aristocratic family, Cochrane joined the British Navy as a teenager and served his country in the Mediterranean, facing the French and Spanish fleets. His outstanding performance earned him a promotion to captain in 1800, and he was given command of the corvette Speedy. Four years later, he was transferred to the Azores, where he was entrusted with the administration of the frigate Pallas.

In 1806, he temporarily left the Navy to enter political life as a representative in the House of Commons for the Honiton district in Devonshire. In his role as a Member of Parliament, he earned the animosity of his former superiors by denouncing the injustices and abuses suffered by the crew members of the Royal Navy. In 1813, as a consequence of this stance, he was implicated in a fraud against the London Stock Exchange, resulting in his expulsion from both the Navy and Parliament. Although his political rights were restored the following year and he was elected as a representative for the Westminster district, his life away from the sea had lost its former excitement.

The opportunity to resume his naval career arose in April 1817 when he was contacted in London by a representative of General José de San Martín, who offered him the chance to travel to Chile to assist in the war of independence and take charge of organizing the National Fleet. The mission involved supporting the campaign against the Spanish forces stationed in Peru from the sea. In this task, Lord Cochrane imposed a strict blockade on the port of El Callao, protected the landing of the Liberating Army at Paracas, and subdued the fortified position of Valdivia through a skillful land maneuver.

Despite the prestige he gained from these missions, Lord Cochrane became embroiled in a dispute with General San Martín; the bold and impulsive personality of the English sailor clashed with the calm and calculating nature of the Argentine military leader. These differences deepened during the campaign in Peru, and in 1823, Cochrane left Chile to join the Brazilian Navy, which was then defending its coasts from the Portuguese fleet. He later went to Greece to assist in the confrontation with the Turkish navy. In 1830, as a reward for his services abroad, Lord Cochrane was reinstated in the Royal British Navy at the express request of King William IV, being assigned to the naval station in the West Indies. In 1851, shortly before retiring, he was promoted to the rank of Admiral, regaining all the honors he deserved.

Source: Memorica chilena