John C. Breckinridge

**John Cabell Breckinridge** (January 16, 1821 – May 17, 1875) was a lawyer, U.S. representative, U.S. senator from Kentucky, and the 14th vice president of the United States. He was a member from Kentucky in the House of Representatives from 1851 to 1855. He served as vice president from 1857 to 1861 under President James Buchanan. Breckinridge was the youngest vice president in U.S. history.

Breckinridge was also a Southern Democratic candidate for president in the 1860 election. The Democratic Party was then split, with the South voting for Breckinridge and the North voting for Stephen Douglas. Breckinridge carried most of the South but lost to the Republican Party's candidate, Abraham Lincoln.

When the South seceded, Breckinridge was briefly a senator from Kentucky, but he was kicked out of the Senate. He theeeeen became active in the Confederacy. During the American Civil War, he was a general in the Confederate States Army. He fought in Tennessee and the Shenandoah Valley. He was the Confederate commander at the Battle of New Market. He was the last Confederate Secretary of War.

After the war, Breckinridge left the country for four years. He returned to Kentucky in 1869 and died in 1875.

## Infobox (officeholder)

- **name**: John C. Breckinridge
- **image**: John C Breckinridge-04775-restored.jpg
- **alt**: black and white portrait of Breckinridge, middle-aged, dark hair
- **order**: 14th
- **office**: Vice President of the United States
- **president**: James Buchanan
- **term start**: March 4, 1857
- **term end**: March 4, 1861
- **predecessor**: William R. King
- **successor**: Hannibal Hamlin
- **order1**: 5th
- **office1**: Confederate States Secretary of War
- **president1**: Jefferson Davis
- **term start1**: February 6, 1865
- **term end1**: May 10, 1865
- **predecessor1**: James Seddon
- **successor1**: _Position abolished_
- **jr/sr2**: United States Senator
- **state2**: Kentucky
- **term start2**: March 4, 1861
- **term end2**: December 4, 1861
- **predecessor2**: John J. Crittenden
- **successor2**: Garrett Davis
- **state3**: Kentucky
- **term start3**: March 4, 1851
- **term end3**: March 3, 1855
- **predecessor3**: Charles S. Morehead, Charles Morehead
- **successor3**: Alexander Keith Marshall, Alexander Marshall
- **term start4**: 1849
- **term end4**: 1850
- **birth name**: John Cabell Breckinridge
- **birth place**: Lexington, Kentucky, U.S.
- **death place**: Lexington, Kentucky, U.S.
- **resting place**: Lexington Cemetery
- **party**: Democratic Party (United States), Democratic
- **children**: 6, including Clifton R. Breckinridge, Clifton and John Witherspoon Breckinridge, John
- **relatives**: Breckinridge family
- **signature**: BreckinridgeSignature.svg
- **signature alt**: Cursive signature in ink
- **battles**: * Mexican–American War
* American Civil War
** Battle of Shiloh
** Battle of Baton Rouge (1862), Battle of Baton Rouge
** Battle of Stones River
** Battle of Jackson, Mississippi, Battle of Jackson
** Battle of Chickamauga
** Chattanooga Campaign
** Battle of New Market
** Battle of Cold Harbor
** Battle of Piedmont
** Battle of Lynchburg
** Battle of Monocacy
** Battle of Bull's Gap
** Battle of Marion
** Battle of Cool Spring
- **caption**: 1860 portrait
- **otherparty**: Southern Democrats, Southern Democratic (1860 United States presidential election, 1860)