Western Pennsylvania Genealogy
Compiled by Douglas H. Lusher


Family Group Record



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Samuel Hays Cochran




Husband Samuel Hays Cochran 1 2 3

           Born: 18 Mar 1835 - Franklin, Venango Co, PA 1 3
     Christened: 
           Died: 26 Jun 1862 - Mechanicsville, VA 1 2 3
         Buried:  - Franklin Cemetery, Franklin, Venango Co, PA 4


         Father: Charles Lacy Cochran (1800-1868) 3 5 6 7
         Mother: Elizabeth Duffield (1798-1867) 3 7 8 9





Wife

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Children

General Notes: Husband - Samuel Hays Cochran


He received a good common school education, went to Iron City Commercial College at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, two terms and re-ceived a diploma. On his return home, he learned the tinning trade, with James Bennett, of Franklin; clerked one or two years in the dry goods store of A. Cochran; started a tin-shop and stove store in Franklin, which he ran for one year and sold out. In the spring of 1860, he went to Kentucky, and worked at his trade until the summer of 1861, when he returned to Franklin. During his stay in the south, he always considered that one nation was better than two, and that the folly of seces-sion would soon be wiped out. Accordingly, in the latter part of July, 1861, he, in company with several other men from Ve-nango County, went to Pittsburgh and enlisted. Col. Alexander Hays was then recruiting a regiment there; they joined his command and by the 1st of August were in camp at Washing-ton D. C., where the 63d regiment, P. V., was fully organized. Company G, to which he belonged, elected him First Lieuten-ant. During the summer and winter of 1861-2, the regiment did regular camp and picket duty. It was considered one of the best drilled and officered regiments in the army at that time. On the 5th of March, 1862, Lieut. Cochran was on picket with his company, when they were attacked by the enemy; a severe skirmish took place, in which the enemy were whipped. After the transfer of the army of the Potomac to the Peninsula, the 63d regiment took an active part in all of its movements. At the siege of Yorktown, Lieut. Cochran, on several occasions displayed qualities that were frequently commended by his Col-onel; at the battle of Williamsburg, he led his company in the attack, and succeeded in gaining an important position; at the battle of Fair Oaks, his regiment fought for two hours, in an al-most hand to hand encounter. The position they held was vital to the safety of the army, and the brave old 63d saved the day. Lieut. Cochran made several very narrow escapes. On the 25th of June, 1862, the rebel army began its movement against McClelland, then in front of Richmond. The 63d was the first regiment to receive their attack; the battle lasted long and furi-ously. Night came on; their ammunition exhausted, flank ex-posed, and the way of retreat almost cut off, their position was perilous. Taking advantage of the darkness, they finally suc-ceeded in escaping the foils into which they had fallen. In this battle after night, Lieut. Cochran, was mortally wounded in the bowels; he was carried from the field and placed in charge of a surgeon at the hospital at Savage station, and died next morn-ing. The next day his body was buried, but his friends were unable to find his grave. The 63d regiment was considered one of the best fighting regiments in the army, and every man in it was fit to be a general. Lieutenant Cochran's conduct on every occasion, whether in battle or in camp, was that of a perfect gentleman and a brave soldier. He courted danger and did not fear death. He was beloved by all who knew him. Though buried in an unknown grave his name and memory will live forever.
Lieutenant Cochran commanded his company from the siege of Yorktown, until his death, the Captain being "on detail duty" nearly all the time. [HVC 1879, 484]

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Sources


1 J. H. Newton, History of Venango County, Pennsylvania (Columbus, OH: J. A. Caldwell Publishers, 1879), Pg 484.

2 —, History of Venango County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: Brown, Runk, & Co., Publishers, 1890), Pg 766.

3 —, The Duffield Family; A Sketch of William Duffield, of Venango County, PA, and His Descendents (PA: The William Duffield Association, 1905), Pg 55.

4 —, The Duffield Family; A Sketch of William Duffield, of Venango County, PA, and His Descendents (PA: The William Duffield Association, 1905), Pg 71.

5 J. H. Newton, History of Venango County, Pennsylvania (Columbus, OH: J. A. Caldwell Publishers, 1879), Pg 198, 483.

6 —, History of Venango County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: Brown, Runk, & Co., Publishers, 1890), Pg 766, 1010.

7 Charles A. Babcock, Venango County, Pennsylvania, Her Pioneers and People (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1919), Pg 759.

8 J. H. Newton, History of Venango County, Pennsylvania (Columbus, OH: J. A. Caldwell Publishers, 1879), Pg 198, 483, 484.

9 —, History of Venango County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: Brown, Runk, & Co., Publishers, 1890), Pg 1010.


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