Lt. Cotchett entered the University of Washington in 1894, four years later he enlisted as a sergeant and was later commissioned as a second lieutenant. He took charge of Company G a year later and subsequently fought in Santa Ana, Guadeloupe, Taguig and Laguna Bay, and led his men to take Calamba. In San Mateo Lt. Cotchett was injured with a bullet through the leg, but survived the injury.