John C. Breckinridge

By 1873, due to his war injuries, Breckinridge’s health began to decline and after several operations, he died on May 17, 1875, in Lexington, Kentucky, at the age of 54. He was buried at the Lexington Cemetery in Lexington, Kentucky, U.S.

John Cabell Breckinridge was born on January 16, 1821, at Thorn Hill, Lexington, Kentucky, to Joseph Cabell Breckinridge, Kentucky's Secretary of State, and his wife, Mary Clay Smith. He was the fourth of six children and the only son of his parents.

After his father’s death due to an illness in 1823, the family moved to Lexington, where he studied at the Pisgah Academy in Woodford County.

In 1834, John was enrolled at the Centre College, in Danville, Kentucky and completed his graduation with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1838. Subsequently, he studied law at the Princeton University.

In 1839, John returned to Kentucky and the following year, he was enrolled in the second year of the law course at Transylvania University in Lexington. In 1841, he obtained a law degree and then practiced in Iowa and Kentucky for a while.

Between 1846 and 1848, Breckinridge served as a volunteer in the Mexican-American War, without getting involved in any combat service.

In 1849, Breckinridge began his political career and became a member of the Kentucky state legislature. In 1851, he was elected as a Democrat to the U.S. House of Representatives, a capacity in which he served until 1855.

During this time, Breckinridge established himself as one of the leading Democrats in the South and therefore in 1856, the party nominated Breckinridge for vice presidency with James Buchanan as the presidential candidate.

Breckinridge was chosen to balance the ticket between North and South and was elected the 14th vice president of the United States. At the age of 36, Breckinridge was inaugurated as the youngest Vice President in American history, in 1856.

After completing his term in 1860, Breckinridge ran for the office of the President of the United States as part of the Southern faction of the Democratic Party but was unsuccessful in his attempt. Subsequently, the Kentucky legislature appointed him as the U.S. Senator in March 1861but Breckinridge was expelled from the Senate later that year when he joined the Confederate service at the outbreak of the Civil War.

As a rising Democrat and a remarkable orator, Breckinridge encouraged compromise and understanding between North and South at the start of his career. Later, upon joining the Confederacy, he served with distinction in the Civil War and fought bravely in some of the bloodiest conflicts in the war. As a Confederate general, Breckinridge proved to be ingenious and spirited, stirring much loyalty in his troops.