Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography/Necochea, Eugenio

NECOCHEA, Eugenio (nay-co-chay'-ah), Chilian soldier, b. in Buenos Ayres in 1797; d. in Santiago, Chili, in 1867. From his early years he was deeply interested in the struggle for the independence of his country, and in 1813 engaged in the campaign of Santa Fé. In 1817 he formed part of the army of the Andes as lieutenant of mounted grenadiers under his brother Mariano, and participated in the campaign of Chili till 1820, being promoted major. He then took part in the campaign of Peru till 1823, and reached the rank of colonel. In 1824 he obtained leave of absence from the Peruvian army and returned to Buenos Ayres, where he remained till 1836. In that year he went back to Chili and was appointed intendant of the province of Chiloe. In 1837 he re-entered the Chilian army and was made commander of the cavalry in the Peruvian expedition, but after the death of Vice-President Portales and the consequent failure of the expedition he was appointed military governor of Valparaiso. He became substitute judge of the military court of appeals in 1842, judge in 1846, intendant of the province of Maule in 1849, and in 1856 inspector-general of militia and military commander of the province of Santiago. He was several times deputy to congress and provincial elector, and in 1860 was promoted brigadier. — His brother, Mariano, Peruvian soldier, b. in Buenos Ayres, 7 Sept., 1790; d. in Miraflores, near Lima, in 1849. In 1802 he was sent to Spain for his education, but he was obliged to return home in 1811 on account of the death of his father. He took an active part in the struggle for independence, and was in the campaigns in upper Peru from 1811 till 1814. In 1817 he went to Chili in the Army of the Andes as commander of a regiment of mounted grenadiers, and took part in the whole campaign of Chili under Gen. San Martin. He accompanied the latter to Peru, was promoted brigadier for his valor in the siege of Callao, and afterward as commander of cavalry engaged in the campaign of Peru, assisting in the battle of Junin, 6 Aug., 1824, where he was dangerously wounded and saved from death by a Spanish soldier who formerly had served under him in the Army of the Andes. He was promoted general of division, and after the independence of Peru was established returned to Buenos Ayres, where he took part as commander of a body of volunteer cavalry in the war against Brazil in 1826-'7. In the latter year he returned to Peru, participated in the war against Colombia, and was commander of Guayaquil in 1828. In consequence of a military conspiracy in Lima, Necochea, with several other officers, was summarily ordered to leave the country without a hearing, and he returned to congress his general's commission, saying that he wished to carry from Peru nothing but his honorable wounds. Later, when his innocence was recognized in Peru, he returned to that country and received the rank of grand-marshal, but saw no more active service, and retired, to private life.