John B. Floyd

Floyd, John Buchanan (1806?–1863), a United States political leader and Confederate army officer. Floyd, a states' rights Democrat from Virginia, was appointed secretary of war in 1857 by President Buchanan. He left office in December, 1860, just before the outbreak of the Civil War, accused of corruption and treason. Floyd was charged with mismanaging War Department funds and with transferring an excessive number of federal arms from Northern to Southern arsenals. He was indicted but never prosecuted on the former charge. Although the latter charge was never proved, Northerners believed him to be a traitor.

When Virginia seceded from the Union in 1861, Floyd was made a brigadier general in the Confederate army. He was removed from command in 1862 for abandoning Fort Donelson while it was under attack by Union troops, leaving General S. B. Buckner to surrender.

Floyd was born in Smithfield, Virginia. After graduation from South Carolina College (now the University of South Carolina) in 1829, he practiced law. He served in the Virginia legislature, 1847–48 and 1855, and was governor, 1849–52.