OVERVIEW:

BORN:
January 6, 1807
Breckinridge County, Kentucky 

DIED:
August 1, 1894 (age 87)
Washington, DC

EDUCATION:
Centre College 

POLITICAL PARTY:
Republican 

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
1828:
Opened Law Office in Elizabethtown, Kentucky 
1832:
Moved to Louisville, Kentucky,
Assistant Editor of the Louisville Advertiser 
1833-1835:
Commonwealth’s Attorney, Louisville District, KY
1835-1842:
Practiced Law, Port Gibson and Vicksburg, Miss
1842:
Returned to Louisville, KY
1848-1851:
Toured Europe and Egypt
1852:
Supported Franklin Pierce for President
1856:
Supported James Buchanan for President
1857:
Moved to Washington, DC
Appointed Commissioner of Patents
1859-1861:
U.S. Postmaster General
1861:
U.S. Secretary of War
1862-1875:
Judge Advocate General of the U.S. Army 
1865:
Presided over the military commission to try the Abraham Lincoln Assassination Conspirators
1875;
Retired from the Army 

BIOGRAPHIES:
Library of Congress
U.S. Army 
Wikipedia

PAPERS:
Library of Congress

PORTRAIT: