Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 01.djvu/421

 BRECKINRIDGE.

BRECKINRIDGE.

to the United States house of representatives, where he served in the 32d and 33d congresses. In 1856 he was nominated and elected vice- president of the United States. Before the expiration of his term as vice-president he was elected to the United States senate by the legisla- ture of Kentucky, and nominated by the southern wing of the Democratic convention, which convened at Charleston, S. C, in 1860, as their candidate for the presidency of the United States. In the election that followed he received seventy- two electoral votes, against one himdred and eighty cast for Mr. Lincoln, thirty -nine for John Bell and twelve for Stephen A. Douglas. He took his seat in the United States senate on March 4, 1861, where he announced the election of Abraham Lincoln to the presidency before both houses of Congress, spurning a proposition made by southern members that he should join in a plot to prevent the counting of the electoral votes, defended the course of the people of the southern states in protecting their property, and then left the senate to join the Confederate army. In September, 1861, he went to Rich- mond, Va., where he was appointed brigadier - general, and on November 16 assumed command of the 1st Kentucky brigade. On March 2, 1863, he was placed in command of a division of Gen. A. S. Johnston's army, and led it in the battle of Shiloh, for which he was advanced to the rank of major-general. He commanded the Confed- erate troops at the battle of Baton Rouge, Aug. 5, 1863. He participated in the engagements at Stone River, Murfreesboro, Chickamauga, Look- out Mountain and Mission Ridge. In February, 1864, he was sent to Virginia,, and on May 15 fought against General Sigel at New Market. He was with General Early during his campaign in Maryland, and at Monocacy, Cold Harbor, and Bull Gap. In jSIarch, 1865, President Davis appointed him secretary of war, and after the surrender he assisted the president in his flight and accompanied by a few friends escaped in an open boat to Cuba, whence he sailed for England. He remained in Europe till 1868, when he returned to the United States and resumed the practice of the law at Lexington, Ky., in which he continued imtil his death on May 17, 1875.

BRECKINRIDGE, Joseph Cabell, soldier, was born in Baltimore, Md., Jan. 14, 1842; son of Robert Jefferson Breckinridge, and grandson of Jolm Breckinridge, statesman. He was graduated from the University of Virginia in

1860, and the following year entered the U. S. army as aide-de-camp, joining Gen. Williana Nelson at Camp Dick Robinson, Ky., Aug. 30,

1861. He was aide-de-camp to Gen. George H. Thomas dviring the advance toward east Tennes-

see, and after serving through the siege of Corinth, Miss., he was made 3d lieutenant of artillery in April, 1863. He was on duty at Pensacola and at Fort Barrancas, Fla., commanding boat and scouting expeditions and performing local staff duties. On Aug. 1, 1863, he was promoted 1st lieutenant, and in 1864 he served in the Atlanta campaign, was captured and confined at Macon, Ga., and at Charleston, S. C. For gallant service during this campaign he received the brevet rank of captain. He was exchanged in Septem- ber, 1864, and in January of the following year served as mustering officer for the eastern district of Kentucky. In March, 1865, he was brevetted major for meritorious services, and in September, 1865, he went with his regiment to California. The following year he was aide-de-camp on the staff of Gen. H. W. Halleck, served on recruiting duty, and in 1868 was on leave of absence. From 1870 to 1874 he was adjutant of the artillery school; in June, 1874, was promoted captain, serving from 1875 to 1878 at Fort Foote, Md. ; in 1876 at Petersburg, Va., and in 1877 was with his command during the strike and riots at Pitts- burgh, Pa. For three years following he was stationed at the Washington arsenal, and was promoted major and assistant inspector-general on Jan. 19, 1881 ; lieutenant-colonel and inspector- general, Feb. 5, 1885; colonel. Sept. 33, 1885; and brigadier-general, Jan. 30, 1889. He was com- missioned major-general of volunteers. May 4, 1898, and in June, 1898, was made inspector-gen- eral on the staff of General Miles. He was dis- charged from the vokmteer service, Nov. 30, 1898. BRECKINRIDGE, Robert Jefferson, clergy- man, was born at Cabell's Dale, Ky., March 8, 1800; son of John Breckinridge, author of the Kentucky resolutions of 1798. He studied at Princeton and Yale and was graduated at Union college in 1819; admitted to the bar in 1833; practised law in Kentucky until 1831; was a member of the state legislatm-e in 1835, '26, '27 and "28; united with the Presbyterian church in 1829, and was soon after elected riding elder, and was ordained pastor of the Second Presbyterian church, Baltimore, Md., in 1832; president or principal of Jefferson college, Cannonsburgh, Pa., and pastor of the church there in 1845; pastor First Presbyterian church, Lexington, Ky. ; state superintendent of public instruc- tion, 1847 ; and professor of exegetic, didactic and polemic theology in the Presbyterian theological seminary at Danville, 1853-69. Dr. Breckinridge was a man of commanding influence in both church and state. He was an early advocate of the emancipation of the slaves, and when Ken- tucky refused to adopt the measure he aban- doned political life. From his first public appearance in ecclesiastical matters in the