Britain has a long and wonderful naval tradition. They were lords of the high seas from the 16th to the 19th centuries. They conquered new lands and had the most powerful fleet at their disposal.
One of the most underrated naval heroes is Thomas Cochrane. He will go down in history as the craziest and most daring British commander of all time. Cochrane was a titled nobleman and statesman, the 10th Earl of Dundonald. He stood up for freedom, the oppressed, and many other causes. But what sets him apart is of course his stellar record as captain.
He amassed a long list of naval achievements, winning naval battles during the Napoleonic Wars from 1803 to 1815. Cochrane was described as full of “uncompromising idealism, stubbornness and a complete lack of judgment”. He stubbornly defies authority and often summons his superiors. He was hated by many in the Admiralty and lost promotions and major ship orders.
As a captain of a warship, he also did not play by the rules. His tactics were unconventional and ruthless, but he was very successful in naval battles. He perfectly combines well-planned events with a down-to-earth attitude. This approach seemed to work; the enemy was either inactive or defeated by the shock.
He likes to fly different flags on his ships to deceive the enemy. They won’t discover the disguise until it’s too late. Even a small ship couldn’t stop him from taking out over fifty enemy ships, many of them bigger and more powerful. Thomas also enjoyed bluffing, pretending his ship was infected with the plague, leaving them alone to face their fearsome foe. At one point he shortened the mast to make it look like there were more people on board.
Attacking enemy ships at night is another popular move. He figured out how to pair the lighthouse with a small kamikaze bomb, which the French shot down. Charismatic and revered by his men and enemies alike, he was nicknamed “sea wolf” by the French and “Diablo” by the Spaniards.
Foreign countries also invited Cochrane to lead their fleets into battle. In 1818, he ordered the Chilean Navy to gain independence from Spain. He also immediately helped liberate Peru from Spain. In 1824, Brazil and its struggle for freedom from Portugal followed. Cochrane is known for chasing the Portuguese fleet across the Atlantic with only three small ships, and managed to capture seven enemy ships. A year later, he was ordered to liberate the Greeks from the Ottoman Empire, but with little success.
His belief in true freedom made him resent the freedom fighters he helped establish themselves as the new dictators. Worst of all, they paid neither him nor his men. So, in true Cochrane fashion, he plundered the ships of Chile, Peru and Brazil in exchange for the money owed to him – no more, no less.
In his later years, he became a proponent of the steam engine and died at the age of 85. Thomas Cochrane is such a badass. His mesmerizing exploits and extreme bravery continue to inspire people today.
