SIR GEORGE COCKBURN,
One of the Commissioners for executing the office of Lord High Admiral; Vice-Admiral of the Blue; Major-General of the Royal Marines; Knight Grand Cross of the most honourable Military Order of the Bath; a Commissioner of the Board of Longitude; and Member of Parliament for Weobly, in Herefordshire.
Different families of the name of Cockburn anciently held very extensive possessions, and enjoyed the highest offices and prerogatives in Scotland. The first of the family of Langton, we learn from authentic records, was Alexander de Cockburn, who obtained the baronies of Bolton, Carriden, and Langtoun, from King David II. and in 1370 was nominated Usher to the Scottish monarch.
The subject of this memoir is the second son of the late Sir James Cockburn, Baronet, (a descendant of the said Alexander) by Miss Ayscough, daughter of the late Dean of Bristol, and niece to Lord Littleton[1]. At the commencement of the war with the French republic, we find him proceeding to the Mediterranean with Vice-Admiral Hotham, in the Britannia, of 100 guns; from which ship he removed into the Victory, another first rate, bearing the flag of Viscount Hood, by whom he was promoted to the command of the Speedy sloop. Early in 1794 he was nominated acting Captain of the Inconstant frigate; and subsequently of the Meleager, of 32 guns. His latter appointment was confirmed by a post commission, bearing date Feb. 24, 1794.
With the exception of his being present at the capture of the Ca Ira and Censeur, two French line-of-battle ships, off Gourjon bay[2], we find no particular mention of Captain Cockburn until the summer of 1795, at which time he joined the squadron commanded by Commodore Nelson, employed in co-operation with the Austrian and Piedmontese armies, under
- ↑ Our officer’s elder brother, James, the present Baronet, was, in 1806, appointed Under Secretary of State; in 1807, Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Curaçoa; and in 1811, Governor, &c of the Bermudas. He now holds the office of Paymaster of the Royal Marines.
- ↑ See p. 340.
