Civil War era ALS. One page handwritten letter from Major General John Cabell Breckinridge (1821-1875), the 14th and youngest-ever vice president of the United States, serving from 1857 to 1861, and Confederate Secretary of War in 1865, no location, to Brigadier General Thomas Jordan (1819-1895), no location, dated May 16, no year but believed to be written in 1862. The letter, written after Breckinridge had joined Earl Van Dorn near Vicksburg, Mississippi and while Jordan served as chief of staff for General Braxton Bragg during his Kentucky Campaign, primarily references John Hunt Morgan's raids in Kentucky, reading "General I called to see you Capt Gano, who has two Texas mounted companies just from Grand Junction--and Captain [Jenke or Lenke or Jenks] of Morgan's Squadron, who has thirty men of the squadron ready to join Morgan. I understand you to say that orders would be given for them to go to Morgan or cooperate with him as soon as ready. They are now ready. [Jenke or Lenke or Jenks] should have some money to remount some of his men (a number of the horses being very inferior) or authority to take and give receipts--the former preferable. Yours truly, John C. Breckinridge Major Gen C S A." with additional inscription "Brig. Gen Thos Jordan A A G" lower right. Includes a typed transcription, does not include envelope. Letter: 9" H x 5 1/2" W. Note: Richard Montgomery Gano (1830-1913) was the son of John Allen Gano, who was the son of General Richard M. Gano, a veteran of the War of 1812. Gano was a physician in Baton Rouge, LA and then also a farmer, horse breeder, and a member of the Texas legislature in Grapevine Prairie, TX. He resigned his seat in 1861 to enter the Confederate Service and was elected captain of the "Grapevine Volunteers", a company of mounted riflemen he had raised. By early March 1862, he had reorganized his unit into a partial cavalry squadron of two companies, which was mustered into direct Confederate service and was assigned to Colonel John Hunt Morgan's 2nd Kentucky Cavalry at Chattanooga, Tennessee. Capt. Gano, commanding Company G, took part in Morgan's first Kentucky raid in July 1862 as well as Morgan's raid on the Louisville & Nashville Railroad in August. During the latter campaign, he was promoted to major in command of a full cavalry squadron (his original two companies plus a third company raised in Tennessee), which he led at the Battle of Gallatin. By September 1862, Gano was promoted to colonel [leading us to surmise that the letter was written in 1862] in Gen. Morgan's new cavalry brigade and was ultimately promoted to Brigadier General.

By descent from the estate of Stanley Horn, Nashville, Tennessee.

Overall good legible condition with minor areas of staining, pinprick holes, 1/4" area of loss with 3/8" tear, center of left edge of sheet, fold lines and creases, pencil numeral from previous owner, top left, and general handling wear, to be expected from age and manner of use.