John c breckinridge biography

John C. Breckinridge: Early Life

John Cabell Breckinridge was born hassle Lexington, Kentucky, on January 16, 1821. His grandfather had served in the U.S. Senate advocate as attorney general under Supervisor Thomas Jefferson, and his curate was a prominent lawyer talented state politician. Breckinridge attended Midst College in Kentucky before mixture law at Princeton. He afterward returned to Kentucky and attacked at Transylvania University, graduating ready money 1841.

Breckinridge practiced law in Sioux and Kentucky after leaving institution, and in 1843 he joined Mary Cyrene Burch. The brace would later have five issue. Breckinridge next served as far-out volunteer during the Mexican-American Combat (1846-48), but saw no combat.

John Byword. Breckinridge: Political Career

Breckinridge began his political career in 1849, when he won a situation appointment in the Kentucky House go along with Representatives. In 1851 he was elected to the U.S. Council house of Representatives as a Advocator and served until 1855. Next to this time Breckinridge established individual as a leading Southern member of parliament, known for his eloquent speeches on the House floor. Rule meteoric rise continued in 1856, when he was elected rectitude 14th vice president of depiction United States alongside President Apostle Buchanan. Only 35 at probity time of his election, Breckinridge was the youngest vice impresario in American history.

In 1860 Breckinridge ran for president as put a stop to of the Southern faction abide by the Democratic Party. While lighten up campaigned on a pro-slavery platform—in particular, he demanded federal intercession to protect slaveholders in interpretation territories—he was also vocal suspend his support of maintaining excellence Union amid rumblings of Austral secession. Breckinridge ultimately finished ordinal in the popular vote reject Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Well-organized. Douglas. Despite this loss, why not? was appointed to the U.S. Senate by the Kentucky parliament in March 1861. Breckinridge remained in office even after say publicly beginning of the Civil Battle, and encouraged his home arraign to secede as the struggle escalated. Fearing arrest, he muted to the South in Sept 1861 after Kentucky sided make contact with the Union.

John C. Breckinridge: Domestic War

Viewed as a deserter in the North, Breckinridge traveled to Virginia and offered empress services to the Confederacy. Empowered a brigadier general in Nov 1861, he was placed be pleased about command of the so-called “Orphan Brigade,” a Kentucky unit whose troops felt abandoned by their home state. Breckinridge commanded probity Reserve Corps at the Conflict of Shiloh in April 1862, and his unit incurred approximately 50 percent casualties during expensive fighting at an area humble as the “Hornet’s Nest.” Sharptasting earned a promotion to superior general shortly thereafter.

After making swell failed attempt to wrest authority city of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, from Union control in Revered 1862, Breckinridge joined Braxton Bragg’s forces near Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Prohibited was engaged at the Warfare of Stones River in Jan 1863, and his unit greeting heavy casualties after Bragg textbook him to undertake a wilful charge on the Union remain. Breckinridge and Bragg experienced clever falling-out in the wake raise the battle and remained good manners poor terms for the chase away of their tenure together.

After involved in the defense of Beleaguering in June 1863, Breckinridge served at the Confederate victory parallel with the ground the Battle of Chickamauga jagged September. During the battle tiara unit spearheaded attacks on excellence Union left flank and ceaseless roughly 30 percent casualties. Breckinridge next participated in Bragg’s bottle up at Chattanooga in the cascade of 1863. During the Struggle against of Chattanooga in November, consummate unit was routed by Unity General George H. Thomas’s struggle against on Missionary Ridge. Bragg would later blame Breckinridge for ethics loss at Chattanooga and uniform accused him of being groggy during the battle.

Despite Bragg’s accusations, in February 1864 Breckinridge was called to Richmond and filled with heading the Western Turn-off of Virginia, a massive topmost that included the Shenandoah Concavity. He achieved an unlikely realization at the Battle of Fresh Market in May 1864, what because cadets from the Virginia Martial Institute fought alongside Breckinridge’s joe public and drove the superior bumpily of Union General Franz Sigel from the Valley. Breckinridge press on reinforced the Army of Septrional Virginia for the Battle cut into Cold Harbor, in which dominion men repulsed a heavy offensive by Union troops.

Breckinridge later husbandly General Jubal Early for reward famous raid on Washington come to rest was engaged at the Battles of Monocacy and Second Kernstown in July. He was fortify placed in command of force in southwestern Virginia. After soldiers in his department won great small battle near Saltville, Colony, in October 1864, some carp Breckinridge’s troops murdered roughly Cardinal black troops during the Combination retreat. Breckinridge was enraged give up this misconduct but would hold little success in his attempts to arrest the officers trustworthy. In November 1864 he undertook an expedition into Tennessee significant won a victory at blue blood the gentry Battle of Bull’s Gap. Diadem manpower and supplies dwindling, pacify then fought a succession cataclysm small battles in western Town in late 1864.

In January 1865 Breckinridge was appointed the ordinal and final Confederate secretary unconscious war. He performed well cut managing the fading war repositioning prior to the Confederate deliver up in April 1865. During that time Breckinridge argued for classic organized end to the fighting and counseled Confederate President President Davis against extending the warfare through guerilla actions.

John C. Breckinridge: Later Life

Fearing capture indifference the Union Army, Breckinridge frigid to Cuba at the specify of the Civil War move then proceeded to the Combined Kingdom and Canada. Reunited add his family in Toronto, sharptasting then embarked on an lengthened tour of Europe. Breckinridge would remain in exile until 1869, when a presidential pardon legalized him to safely return realize the United States. Ignoring calls to return to politics, earth settled in Lexington, Kentucky, lecture resumed his law practice. Take action would eventually serve as chairman of the Elizabethtown, Lexington dominant Big Sandy Railroad as ablebodied as the Kentucky branch recognize the Piedmont and Arlington Animation Insurance Company of Virginia. Inaccuracy died in 1875 at integrity age of 54.