Born at Monticello, Virginia; son of Virginia Governor Thomas Mann Randolph; and grandson of Thomas Jefferson. Married Mary E. Adams Pope about 1852.

Entered the navy as a midshipman in 1831. He attended the University of Virginia and later studied law. He moved to Richmond in 1850 and practiced law until the outbreak of war. Randolph organized the Richmond Howitzers, an artillery company. He served as their commander during the Peninsular campaign of 1861. He rose in rank to brigadier general for the Confederacy.

Served as Confederate States Secretary of War from March 22, 1862, to November 15, 1862. He suffered from the domination of Jefferson Davis. He resigned and asked to be assigned to a field command. He contracted tuberculosis and never recovered. He died at home at Edgehill in Virginia.

Randolph appears on Confederate currency:

$100 issue of December 2, 1862 $100 issue of April 6, 1863

$100 issue of February 17, 1864

bio: ApCAB; DAB; Drake; NCAB 10; TCBDA; WWWA-H; NUM 75 Nov 1962 page 1480