Confederate Army sergeant major, 5th Tennessee Infantry, 2nd Kentucky Infantry and 3rd Kentucky Cavalry, 1861-1865
Private practice, Clarksville, Tennessee, 1867-1875, 1878-1886
Chancellor, Tennessee Chancery Court, Sixth Judicial District, 1875-1878
Justice, Tennessee Supreme Court, 1886-1893
Dean of law department, Vanderbilt University, 1905-1909
Allotment as Circuit Justice:
Second Circuit, January 10, 1910-January 8, 1911
Third Circuit, January 9, 1911-March 17, 1912
Seventh Circuit, March 18, 1912-July 12, 1914