Breckinridge was born in 1842, a member of the prominent
Breckinridge family, in
Baltimore, Maryland. His parents were Ann Sophonisba Preston Breckinridge (1803–1844) and
Robert Jefferson Breckinridge (1800–1871), a Presbyterian minister, politician, public office holder and abolitionist who was one of the most distinguished divines and one of the most prolific writers of the century. His father served as a leader of the Kentucky emancipation party in 1849 and was a strong Union man in 1861 at the outbreak of the Civil War.[1]
In August 1861, Breckinridge joined the U.S. Army and was appointed an
aide-de-camp to
George H. Thomas, and served with him at
Mill Springs and
Shiloh. While serving at
Corinth, he was commissioned a lieutenant in the
2nd US Artillery. He served in the
Atlanta Campaign, and was captured following the death of
James B. McPherson. After being exchanged, he served out the remainder of the war as a mustering officer, and received brevet promotions to
captain (July 1864) and
major (March 1865). He received promotions to the full ranks of captain and major in 1874 and 1881 respectively.[3]
General Breckinridge retired from the Army on April 12, 1903, having been promoted to major general the day before.[4]
Personal life
Major General Breckinridge was married to Louise Ludlow Dudley (1849–1911), daughter of
Ethelbert Ludlow Dudley of Lexington, Kentucky in July 1868. Together, they were the parents of:[1][5]
Mary Dudley Breckinridge (1869–1939), who married John Fore Hines (1870–1941).[6]
Robert Jefferson Breckinridge (1871–1871), who died young.
^See generally Hollingsworth, Randolph. "Breckinridge, Robert Jefferson" In Encyclopedia of the American Civil War: A Political, Social, and Military History, edited by David S. Heidler and Jeanne T. Heidler. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2000.
ISBN0-393-04758-X. pp. 279–280.