BRECKINRIDGE, JOHN CABELL Amer ican soldier and political leader, was born near Lexington, Ky., on Jan. 21, 1821. He was a member of a family prominent in the public' life of Kentucky and the nation. His grandfather, John Breckinridge (1760-1806), was a United States senator from Kentucky in 1801-o5 and attorney-general in President Jefferson's cabinet in 1805-o6.
John Cabell Breckinridge graduated in 1838 at Centre college, Danville, Ky., continued his studies at Princeton, and then studied law at Transylvania university, Lexington, Kentucky. He practised law in Frankfort, Ky., in 184o-41 and in Burling ton, Ia., from 1841 to 1843, and then returned to Kentucky and followed his profession at Lexington. In 1847 he went to Mexico as major in a volunteer regiment. In 1849 he was elected a Democratic member of the Kentucky legislature; in 1851 55 he served in the national House of Representatives. In 1856 he was chosen vice-president of the United States on the Buchan an ticket, and although a strong pro-slavery and states rights man, he presided over the Senate with conspicuous fairness and impar tiality during the trying years before the Civil War. In 186o he was nominated for the presidency by the pro-slavery seceders from the Democratic national convention, and received a total of 72 electoral votes. As vice-president and presiding officer of the Senate, it was his duty to make the official announcement of the election of his opponent, Lincoln. He succeeded John J. Crit tenden as United States senator from Kentucky in March 1861, but having subsequently entered the Confederate service he was expelled from the Senate in Dec. 1861. As brigadier-general he commanded the Confederate reserve at Shiloh, and in Aug. 1862 he became major-general. On Aug. 5 he was repulsed in his at tack on Baton Rouge, but he won distinction at Stone River (Dec. 31, 1862–Jan. 2, 1863). He took part in the battle of Chickamauga, defeated Gen. Franz Sigel at Newmarket, Va., on May 15, 1864, and then joined Lee and took part in the battles of Cold Harbor June 1 and 3. In the autumn he operated in the Shenandoah Val ley, and with Early was defeated by Sheridan at Winchester on Sept. 19. In Jan. 1865 he became secretary of war for the Con federate States. At the close of the war he escaped to Cuba, and thence to Europe. In 1868 he returned to the United States and resumed the practice of law at Lexington, Ky., where he died on May 17, 1875.