CPT Henry King Cochran

courtesy of Sassy Tazzy

CPT Henry King Cochran was born 1 Apr 1834 in Augusta County, Virginia. He was the 4th of 9 children of George Moffett and Maria Theresa (Boys) Cochran. George Moffett Cochran Sr was very well to do. His real estate holdings were valued at $50,000 in 1850 or about $1.7-million in today's money. In 1860 his real estate was valued at $60,000 and his personal estate at $40,000 which would be about $3.2-million today. Henry attended the University of Virginia in Charlottesville as did 3 of his brothers and Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Dr. Cochran was already a prominent person in Augusta County at the age of 26 working as a physician, merchant and farmer. As the election of 1860 approached, his father spoke publicly against succession and it seems from newspaper reports that Henry was of like mind in 1860 and active in at least one group politically supporting that view.

Henry joined the West Augusta Guard in 1860 and was made a Lieutenant in that unit commanded by William Smith Hanger Baylor. Elected as 1st Major when the various Augusta county units voted to form a regiment in March 1861 he was commissioned as a 2LT in L Company 5th Virginia when the unit was mustered on 17 Apr 1861. He resigned 20 May 1861 just before the unit was converted to an artillery battery but soon became an assistant surgeon at the Old Seabrook Hospital in Richmond, Virginia. Henry apparently accepted an appointment as Quartermaster of the 14th Virginia Cavalry Regiment with rank effective 14 Feb 1863. He was transferred to the 13th Virginia Cavalry on 20 Dec 1863. Although some sources say that he was  transferred to the 11th Virginia Cavalry in 1864 and was Quartermaster for that regiment it appears that he may have been returned to the 14th prior to McCausland's raid into Pennsylvania in July 1864.

CPT Cochran was present for the burning of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania by GEN McCausland's troops on 30 Jul 1864 when he was killed. This is the account of his death by a local witness.

Captain Cochran, quartermaster of the 11th Virginia Cavalry, was caught by Thomas H. Doyle, of Loudon, and at the point of his pistol was given just fifteen minutes to live. Cochran begged piteously for his life but Doyle, on the very second, shot him dead; and there was found on his person $815 in greenbacks, all stolen from citizens, and $1,750 of Confederate currency.

CPT Cochran was initially buried in Franklin County, Pennsylvania but his body was recovered after the war and returned to Staunton and buried near his family in the Thornrose Cemetery in Staunton, Virginia. 

5 of the 7 Cochran brothers served in Virginia units during the American Civil War. George Moffett Cochran Jr. served as Quartermaster of the 52nd Virginia Infantry and later of J. Pegram's Brigade. Alexander Boys Cochran was a 1LT in G Company 5th Virginia Infantry captured at Spotsylvania Court House and sent to Fort Delaware. John Lynn Cochran was a 2LT in A Company 52nd Virginia Infantry and died of disease 30 Jan 1862. James Addison Cochran served as a PVT in I Company 14th Virginia Cavalry and was wounded in action.