Cockburn, George, Sir (1763 -1847)

George Cockburn, of Shanganah Castle, County Wicklow was the eldest son of George Cockburn and a sister of Admiral Sir Benjamin Caldwell, G.C.B. He entered the Army as an ensign in the 1st Regiment of Foot Guards in 1781, and the following year went to Gibraltar where he acted as aide de camp to General Eliott during the Siege of Gibraltar. As a result he was promoted to Captain Lieutenant. His promotion was rapid reaching the rank of Major General in 1803, and from 1806 1810 held the command of the northern district. In April 1810 he was appointed to command the army of occupation in Sicily, but was almost immediately recalled on his appointment as Lieutenant General. He then settled down on his estate at Shanganah Castle, and wrote a book of travel and some curious pamphlets. In 1820 he was promoted General and was made a Knight Commander of the Hanoverian Order in 1821 and a Knight Grand Cross in 1837.