John Letcher was born in 1813 in Lexington, Virginia, and graduated from Washington Academy in 1833. He was admitted to the Virginia State Bar in 1839 and established a law practice in Lexington. Letcher spent a decade as an editor before serving as a Representative in the United States Congress from 1851 to 1859. He was elected Governor of Virginia in 1859 and held this position during the American Civil War until 1864. Letcher played a significant role in organizing the Peace Conference in 1861 and appointed Robert E. Lee as commander in chief of Virginia's forces. After the war, he resumed his law practice and served in the Virginia General Assembly from 1875 to 1877. He also held leadership roles at the Virginia Military Institute, serving on its Board of Visitors and as its president for ten years.

John Letcher's political identity is marked by a complex interplay between his early abolitionist stance and later support for secession, revealing an ideologically agile approach. His efforts to prevent the Civil War through the Peace Conference contrast sharply with his subsequent role in Virginia's secession, showcasing a calculated regionalism. Letcher's legislative history, particularly his opposition to government extravagance, underscores a principled yet pragmatic fiscal conservatism. His appointment of Robert E. Lee as commander in chief highlights a strategic alignment with military leadership during tumultuous times.