Military Academy, Woolwich, as a cadet, 19 March 1793, and passed out, as a second lieutenant royal artillery, 2 March 1795, the dates of his subsequent commissions being as follows: First lieutenant 1803, captain 1806, brevet-major 1814, lieutenant-colonel 1825, brevet-colonel 1837, major-general 9 Nov. 1846. He served at the capture of the Cape of Good Hope in 1795, in the expedition which was sent against Manilla in 1798, but recalled when on its passage owing to the threatening aspect of affairs in the Carnatic, and also at the siege and capture of Copenhagen in 1807. He held the post of director of the Royal Laboratory, Woolwich, from 10 Oct. 1838 to 31 Dec. 1846. As a cadet Cockburn had been a pupil of Paul Sandby, royal academician (who was many years professor of landscape-drawing at the Royal Military Academy), and became a very accomplished artist. During periods of leave from Malta and Woolwich, where he was stationed after the peace, he executed many drawings of continental scenery, which were engraved and published under the titles of 'Swiss Scenery' (London, 1820); ' Views of the Valley of Aosta ' (London, 1822); 'Views to illustrate the Simplon Route' (London, 1822); 'Views to illustrate the Mont Cenis Route' (London, 1822). These drawings supplied the continental 'scenes' for illustrated editions, annuals, and similar works of various descriptions for long afterwards. He also executed the landscapes in Professor T. L. Donaldson's fine work 'Pompeii Illustrated' (London, 1829), which from a preface by the artist appear to have been executed in 1819. A notice in Spohr's 'Autobiography,' quoted in 'Notes and Queries,' 3rd series, viii. 309, suggests that Cockburn was in the habit of using the camera lucida to insure exactness of landscape detail.
Cockburn, who had long been in feeble health, died at his residence, Woolwich Common, 10 March 1847.
[Kane's Lists of Officers R. Art. (revised ed. 1869); Brit. Mus. Cat.; Gent. Mag. new series, xxvii. 350.]
COCKBURN, JOHN, D.D. (1652–1729), Scottish divine, son of John Cockburn, a gentleman of some estate in the north of Scotland, who married a sister of Patrick Scougall of Salton, afterwards bishop of Aberdeen, was born on 20 April 1652. In 1666 he was entered at Edinburgh University, but was taken thence by his uncle the bishop, and entered in November 1668 at King's College, Aberdeen, as ' Joh. Cobron, Edinb.,' pursuing his studies under Scougall's eye, and graduating A.M. on 20 June 1671. In 1673 he became tutor to Lord Keith, son of George, earl Marischall, and remained in this situation till 1675, when he was ordained by his uncle, who presented him on 14 Feb. 1676 to the living of Udny, Aberdeenshire. He was instituted on 21 (or 31) May, but not without ' great tumult,' the laird of Udny claiming the right to present. In the following August (before the 15th) his cousin Cockburn, laird of Langton, Berwickshire (a presbyterian whom the bishop of Edinburgh had much difficulty in getting to present any ' orderly person '), presented him to the living of Langton, but he did not accept. He was translated from Udny to Old Deer (a parish partly in Aberdeenshire, partly in Banffshire), between 10 Aug. and 7 Sept. 1681, on the presentation of George, earl Marischall. On 31 Aug. the Test Act was passed, compelling the holders of all offices, civil and ecclesiastical, to swear adherence to the confession of faith of 1560, and to pledge themselves to support the existing government of church and state. Cockburn refused the test (of which his uncle the bishop was one of the strongest opponents), but early next year (1682) he complied with the act, being among the last of the clergy of Aberdeen diocese to do so. On 13 June 1683 he was translated to the living of Onniston, Haddingtonshire, of which Sir A. Cockburn was patron. This living had been vacant since the deprivation of John Sinclair in December 1682 for refusing the test. During his occupancy Cockburn, though assiduous in the duties of his charge, got into many difficulties. He was obnoxious to the presbyterians, and could not until 25 Nov. get any of his parishioners to act as elders and 'keep session with him.' Wodrow states that the Scottish bishops issued blank warrants to their clergy for the appointment of elders, leaving them to fill in the names of men who, it was known, would not serve, for the purpose of mulcting them in the courts. As a specimen he prints a warrant from John Patterson, bishop of Edinburgh, to Cockburn, dated 20 May 1685, which had never been filled up. Cockburn's first literary enterprise was a spirited project of a monthly magazine of literature; but the first number (for January 1688) contained passages unpalatable to members of the Roman catholic church, which was now tolerated by the king's proclamation, and the publication was stopped. Nevertheless Cockburn was not prepared to transfer his allegiance to William of Orange In August 1689 he was 'cited before the privie council at the desyre of some within the paroch, to witt, Alexander Wight and Alexander Ramsay, for not reading the proclamation which forfaulted King James.'
