John Cope (British Army officer)

Sir John Cope KB MP
Cope, as Colonel, 39th Foot
Governor of Limerick
In office 1751 – 28 July 1760
Commander-in-Chief, Scotland
In office August 1743 – September 1745
Personal details
Born	(1688-07-00)July 1688 Camden, London, England
Died	28 July 1760(1760-07-28) (aged 72) London, England
Resting place	St James's Church, Piccadilly[1]
Relations	Sir John Cope, 6th Baronet
Education	Westminster School
Military service
Allegiance	Great Britain
Branch	British Army
Years of service	1707–1751
Rank	Lieutenant general
Unit	7th Dragoons
Battles/wars	War of the Spanish Succession Capture of Minorca Battle of Almenar War of the Austrian Succession Battle of Dettingen Jacobite rising of 1745 Battle of Prestonpans

Sir John Cope KB MP (July 1688 – 28 July 1760) was a British soldier, and Whig Member of Parliament, representing three separate constituencies between 1722 and 1741. He is now chiefly remembered for his defeat at Prestonpans, the first significant battle of the Jacobite rising of 1745 and which was commemorated by the tune "Hey, Johnnie Cope, Are Ye Waking Yet?", which still features in modern Scottish folk music and bagpipe recitals.

His military service included the wars of the Spanish and Austrian Successions. As with many of the senior officers present at Dettingen in 1743, victory resulted in promotion, and he was appointed military commander in Scotland shortly before the 1745 Rising. Although exonerated by a court-martial in 1746, Prestonpans ended his career as a field officer.

In 1751, he was appointed governor of the Limerick garrison, and deputy to Viscount Molesworth, commander of the army in Ireland. He died in London on 28 July 1760.