Generals in Gray: Breckinridge

John C. Breckinridge

In 1864 he commanded the Department of Southwest Virginia, fought at New Market, and accompanied Jubal Early in the raid on Washington. On February 4, 1865 he was named Secretary of War by Jefferson Davis. Prior to his appointment of Breckinridge, Davis went through several weak men in the position and essentially ran the war department himself, right down to the smallest details. But Breckinridge was popular and highly respected as a statesman and military commander; he also had the will to stand up to Davis. A highly competent administrator, he directed the armies and organized the commissary department, improving the distribution of supplies. Before long he recognized that the war was lost and he tried in vain to convince Davis of this fact. When Richmond fell in April, Breckinridge organized the evacuation. While Davis fled to Georgia and continued to cling to foolish delusions until his capture, Breckinridge essentially ran the Confederate government in its last weeks and was largely responsible for the honorable surrender of the Confederacy. Immediately after the war he fled to Cuba, then England and Canada, returning to Kentucky to resume his law practice in 1869. He became a railroad executive and died in Lexington on May 17, 1875.
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John Cabell Breckinridge was born near Lexington, Kentucky, on January 15, 1821. He graduated from Centre College in 1839 and then studied law at Transylvania University and the College of New Jersey (Princeton). In 1845 he began a law practice in Kentucky. He was elected to the Kentucky House of Representatives in 1849. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1850 and served in Congress until 1856 when he was elected Vice President under James Buchanan. In 1959 he was chosen by the Kentucky legislature to serve in the U.S. Senate. In 1860 the Democratic Party split over the issue of slavery and Breckinridge was the Southern Democratic candidate for President, running against Northern Democrat Stephen A. Douglas and Republican Abraham Lincoln. He won the Southern states and finished second in electoral votes. In 1861, following secession, he entered the Confederate army as a brigadier general. He was promoted to the rank of major general in April 1862. Breckinridge commanded the Reserve Corps at Shiloh and served with distinction at Murfreesboro (Stones River), Chickamauga and Chattanooga in 1863.

© 2003 David C. Hanson, HIS 269 - Civil War and Reconstruction, Virginia W. Community College

John C. Breckinridge
	In 1864 he commanded the Department of Southwest Virginia, fought at New Market, and accompanied Jubal Early in the raid on Washington. On February 4, 1865 he was named Secretary of War by Jefferson Davis. Prior to his appointment of Breckinridge, Davis went through several weak men in the position and essentially ran the war department himself, right down to the smallest details. But Breckinridge was popular and highly respected as a statesman and military commander; he also had the will to stand up to Davis. A highly competent administrator, he directed the armies and organized the commissary department, improving the distribution of supplies. Before long he recognized that the war was lost and he tried in vain to convince Davis of this fact. When Richmond fell in April, Breckinridge organized the evacuation. While Davis fled to Georgia and continued to cling to foolish delusions until his capture, Breckinridge essentially ran the Confederate government in its last weeks and was largely responsible for the honorable surrender of the Confederacy. Immediately after the war he fled to Cuba, then England and Canada, returning to Kentucky to resume his law practice in 1869. He became a railroad executive and died in Lexington on May 17, 1875. Generals >
John Cabell Breckinridge was born near Lexington, Kentucky, on January 15, 1821. He graduated from Centre College in 1839 and then studied law at Transylvania University and the College of New Jersey (Princeton). In 1845 he began a law practice in Kentucky. He was elected to the Kentucky House of Representatives in 1849. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1850 and served in Congress until 1856 when he was elected Vice President under James Buchanan. In 1959 he was chosen by the Kentucky legislature to serve in the U.S. Senate. In 1860 the Democratic Party split over the issue of slavery and Breckinridge was the Southern Democratic candidate for President, running against Northern Democrat Stephen A. Douglas and Republican Abraham Lincoln. He won the Southern states and finished second in electoral votes. In 1861, following secession, he entered the Confederate army as a brigadier general. He was promoted to the rank of major general in April 1862. Breckinridge commanded the Reserve Corps at Shiloh and served with distinction at Murfreesboro (Stones River), Chickamauga and Chattanooga in 1863.
© 2003 David C. Hanson, HIS 269 - Civil War and Reconstruction, Virginia W. Community College