Descended from a legendary family in politics and law, John Cabell Breckinridge was born to Joseph Cabell Breckinridge (24 July 1788-01 September 1823) and Mary Clay Smith (31 August 1787-09 October 1864) at Cabell’s Dale, near Lexington, Fayette County, Kentucky on 16 January 1821. He went to school at Pisgah Academy in Woodford County, Kentucky, before graduating in 1839 from Centre College in Danville, Boyle County, Kentucky. He later attended College of New Jersey (now Princeton University) in Mercer County, New Jersey, and studied law at Transylvania University in Lexington, Fayette County, Kentucky. He was admitted to the bar in 1840, moved to Burlington, Des Moines County, Iowa, but soon returned to his home state and began his law practice in Lexington. He married Mary Cyrene Burch (16 August 1826-08 October 1907) in Scott County, Kentucky on 12 December 1843. During the Mexican War (1846-1848), he served six months as Major of the Third Kentucky Volunteers.

     A lifelong Democrat, he was elected to the Kentucky House of Representatives in 1849. He was then elected to the U.S. House of Representatives and served 04 March 1851 to 03 March 1855. In 1854, U.S. President Franklin Pierce (23 November 1804-08 October 1869) offered him the ambassadorship to Spain, but he declined. Breckinridge was elected Vice-President of the United States in 1856 on the Democratic ticket with James Buchanan (23 April 1791-01 June 1868) as President. In 1860, he was the Southern Democratic Party's choice for the presidency. Following his defeat by Republican Abraham Lincoln (12 February 1809-15 April 1865), Breckinridge succeeded John Jordan Crittenden (10 September 1786-26 July 1863) as U.S. Senator from Kentucky on 04 March 1861. He actively worked for accommodation and compromise with the South, but after the firing on Fort Sumter (12-13 April 1861) maintained that the Union no longer existed and urged Kentucky to secede. Despite his efforts, his state's allegiances remained split. He was formally expelled from the U.S. Senate on 04 December 1861, but this action was meaningless as he was commissioned a brigadier general in the Confederate Army on 02 November 1861.

     After the Battle of Shiloh (06-07 April 1862), where he commanded Reserve Corps, Army of the Mississippi, he was promoted to the rank of major general on 14 April 1862. He distinguished himself in many other battles and campaigns including: Baton Rouge (05 August 1862), Murfreesboro (Stones River) (31 December 1862; 02 January 1863), Jackson (10-16 July 1863), Chickamauga (19-20 September 1863), Chattanooga (23 September 1863-25 November 1863), Lynchburg (26 May 1864-29 June 1864), Early's Raid into Maryland (23 June 1864-03 August 1864), and the Shenandoah Valley (07 August 1864-28 November 1864). In the Battle of New Market (15 May 1864), he won one of the most important small battles of the war. During this period, he was also charged with the leadership of Army of Middle Tennessee (28 October 1862-07 November 1862), (D.H.) Hill's Corps, Army of Tennessee (08 November 1863-15 December 1863), Department of Western Virginia and East Tennessee (25 February 1864-04 May 1864), and Valley District (04 May 1864-13 June 1864).

     Following the resignation of James Alexander Seddon (13 July 1815-19 August 1880), he was appointed Secretary of War on 06 February 1865. He organized the evacuation of Richmond, and assisted Gen. Joseph Eggleston Johnston (03 February 1807-21 March 1891) in surrendering Army of Tennessee at Bennett (Bennitt) Place, near Durham Station, Orange (now Durham) County, North Carolina. After the Cabinet disbanded in Washington, Wilkes County, Georgia on 05 May 1865, he fled via Florida and Cuba to England, then on to Canada. When granted amnesty in 1868, he returned to his home in Lexington, Fayette County, Kentucky. He re-established his law practice, and served as Vice-President of the Elizabethtown, Lexington, & Big Sandy Railroad until his death on 17 May 1875. Breckinridge is buried in Lexington Cemetery.