After the war he worked as a lawyer and served as the first Governor of Virginia after Reconstruction from January 1, 1874, to January 1, 1878, having defeated Republican Robert W. Hughes with 43.84% of the vote.
После войны он работал юристом и служил первым после Реконструкции губернатором Вирджинии (1 января 1874 — 1 января 1878).