Cochrane: The Life and Exploits of a Fighting CaptainThis is an account of the life and adventures of the daring seaman Thomas Cochrane, who rose from midshipman to admiral and was called the sea wolf by Napoleon. His exploits were so compelling that the novelist Patrick O'Brian used them as the basis for the character Jack Aubrey, the main protagonist of naval novels set during the Napoleonic War. Thomas Cochrane was framed in a Stock Exchange scandal, sentenced to the pillory, escaped prison by means of a rope and fled the country to become a mercenary admiral fighting for independence. Off the coast of Chile, Peru, Brazil and Greece, always outnumbered and outgunned, he became a legend of daring and courage. On one occasion he chased the entire Portuguese fleet in a single ship. |
Contents
PART ONE THE NAPOLEONIC WARS | 1 |
Mr Midshipman Cochrane | 3 |
Lieutenant Cochrane | 25 |
Copyright | |
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aboard action Admiral Admiralty Aix Roads anchor arrived attack batteries battle Bay of Biscay Berenger boats Britain British ships broadside Burdett Butt Callao captain captured career channel Chile Chilean coast Cochrane-Johnstone Cochrane's command convoy court crew dangerous decided deck defence destroyed Dundonald Earl enemy enemy's escape explosion ships fighting fire fireships flag flagship force French French fleet French ships frigate Gamo gunboats guns hero honour huge Imperieuse Kitty land later lieutenant London Lord Cochrane Lord Ellenborough Lord Gambier Lord St Vincent lordship Mediterranean midshipman Minorca Mongat Napoleon naval navy night O'Higgins officers ordered Pallas political port Port Mahon Portuguese prison prize money refused returned Royal Navy sail sailors San Martin seaman seemed sent shore shot signal soon Spaniards Spanish Speedy St Vincent Stock Exchange Thomas Thomas Cochrane tion took troops Turks Valdivia vessels victory warships wind wrote young