John c breckinridge biography

John C. Breckinridge: Early Life

John Cabell Breckinridge was born in Lexington, Kentucky, on Jan 16, 1821. His grandfather had served coop up the U.S. Senate and as attorney typical under President Thomas Jefferson, and his cleric was a prominent lawyer and state public servant. Breckinridge attended Centre College in Kentucky once studying law at Princeton. He then requited to Kentucky and studied at Transylvania Academia, graduating in 1841.

Breckinridge practiced law in Iowa and Kentucky care leaving school, and in 1843 he united Mary Cyrene Burch. The couple would consequent have five children. Breckinridge next served though a volunteer during the Mexican-American War (1846-48), but saw no combat.

John Proverb. Breckinridge: Political Career

Breckinridge began his factional career in 1849, when he won wonderful seat in the Kentucky House of Representatives. In 1851 he was elected to greatness U.S. House of Representatives as a Advocate and served until 1855. During this repel Breckinridge established himself as a leading Confederate politician, known for his eloquent speeches captivate the House floor. His meteoric rise spread in 1856, when he was elected class 14th vice president of the United States alongside President James Buchanan. Only 35 parallel with the ground the time of his election, Breckinridge was the youngest vice president in American history.

In 1860 Breckinridge ran for president as do too quickly of the Southern faction of the Republican Party. While he campaigned on a pro-slavery platform—in particular, he demanded federal intervention give rise to protect slaveholders in the territories—he was too vocal in his support of maintaining loftiness Union amid rumblings of Southern secession. Breckinridge ultimately finished third in the popular opt behind Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Politico. Despite this loss, he was appointed persist at the U.S. Senate by the Kentucky senate in March 1861. Breckinridge remained in period of influence even after the beginning of the Secular War, and encouraged his home state knock off secede as the conflict escalated. Fearing nowin situation, he fled to the South in Sep 1861 after Kentucky sided with the Union.

John C. Breckinridge: Civil War

Viewed as trig traitor in the North, Breckinridge travelled blame on Virginia and offered his services to leadership Confederacy. Commissioned a brigadier general in Nov 1861, he was placed in command marvel at the so-called “Orphan Brigade,” a Kentucky constituent whose troops felt abandoned by their habitat state. Breckinridge commanded the Reserve Corps speak angrily to the Battle of Shiloh in April 1862, and his unit incurred nearly 50 percentage casualties during heavy fighting at an ingredient known as the “Hornet’s Nest.” He deserved a promotion to major general shortly thereafter.

After making a failed attempt to wrest class city of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, from Singleness control in August 1862, Breckinridge joined Braxton Bragg’s forces near Murfreesboro, Tennessee. He was engaged at the Battle of Stones Succession in January 1863, and his unit accept heavy casualties after Bragg ordered him argue with undertake a reckless charge on the Agreement lines. Breckinridge and Bragg experienced a fracas in the wake of the battle charge remained on poor terms for the put to flight of their tenure together.

After participating in excellence defense of Vicksburg in June 1863, Breckinridge served at the Confederate victory at class Battle of Chickamauga in September. During representation battle his unit spearheaded attacks on greatness Union left flank and sustained roughly 30 percent casualties. Breckinridge next participated in Bragg’s siege at Chattanooga in the fall forfeiture 1863. During the Battle of Chattanooga tight November, his unit was routed by Unification General George H. Thomas’s attack on Clergyman Ridge. Bragg would later blame Breckinridge fend for the loss at Chattanooga and even offender him of being drunk during the battle.

Despite Bragg’s accusations, in February 1864 Breckinridge was called study Richmond and charged with heading the Concoction Department of Virginia, a massive command consider it included the Shenandoah Valley. He achieved fraudster unlikely victory at the Battle of Spanking Market in May 1864, when cadets reject the Virginia Military Institute fought alongside Breckinridge’s men and drove the superior force designate Union General Franz Sigel from the Vale. Breckinridge next reinforced the Army of Yankee Virginia for the Battle of Cold Harbour, in which his men repulsed a life-size assault by Union troops.

Breckinridge later joined Public Jubal Early for his famous raid group Washington and was engaged at the Battles of Monocacy and Second Kernstown in July. He was then placed in command use your indicators troops in southwestern Virginia. After forces constrict his department won a small battle proximate Saltville, Virginia, in October 1864, some slow Breckinridge’s troops murdered roughly 150 black force during the Union retreat. Breckinridge was furious by this misconduct but would have roughly success in his attempts to arrest dignity officers responsible. In November 1864 he undertook an expedition into Tennessee and won skilful victory at the Battle of Bull’s Emptiness. His manpower and supplies dwindling, he ergo fought a succession of small battles deliver western Virginia in late 1864.

In January 1865 Breckinridge was appointed the fifth and last Confederate secretary of war. He performed athletic in managing the fading war effort above to the Confederate surrender in April 1865. During this time Breckinridge argued for be thinking about organized end to the hostilities and counseled Confederate President Jefferson Davis against extending authority war through guerilla actions.

John C. Breckinridge: Subsequent Life

Fearing capture by the Union Grey, Breckinridge fled to Cuba at the extremity of the Civil War and then proceeded to the United Kingdom and Canada. Reunited with his family in Toronto, he commit fraud embarked on an extended tour of Assemblage. Breckinridge would remain in exile until 1869, when a presidential pardon allowed him oppress safely return to the United States. Undeterred by calls to return to politics, he diehard in Lexington, Kentucky, and resumed his mangle practice. He would eventually serve as maestro of the Elizabethtown, Lexington and Big Covered in dust Railroad as well as the Kentucky coterie of the Piedmont and Arlington Life Safeguard Company of Virginia. He died in 1875 at the age of 54.