Notes for Henry Wager Halleck

The Generations of Thomas Pine Petznick

Generations

Thomas Pine Petznick

Notes for Henry Wager Halleck

Henry Wager Halleck was born in Westernville, New York, on January 16, 1815. Early in life he ran away from home because of his dislike for farming and was adopted by his maternal grandfather, who sent him successively to the Hudson Academy, Union College (where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa), and West Point, from which he was graduated third in the class of 1839. An assistant professor while still an undergraduate at the Military Academy, Halleck first worked upon the fortifications of New York Harbor and in 1844 inspected those of France. Upon his return to the United States he wrote a Report on the Means of National Defence, which was published by Congress and won him an invitation from the Lowell Institute of Boston to deliver a series of lectures. These were published as Elements of Military Art and Science, a work which enjoyed wide circulation among soldiers for many years. En route to California by ship around the Horn at the outbreak of the Mexican War, Hallect translated Henri Jomini's monumental Vie Politique et Militaire de Napoleon, published in 1864. In California he discharded numerous important duties under the military government, including those of secrtary of state, chief of staff in lower California, and lieutenant governor of the Mexican city of Mazatlan. At the concludion of the war he was brevetted captain of the enginerrs and in 1853 was regularly promoted. Meantime he served as aide to General Bennet riley, as inspector and engineer of lighthouses, and as member of the board of engineers for Pacific Coast fortifications. He also played a prominent part in the formulation of the California constitution and studied law; upon his resignation from the army in 1854, he became head of the leading law firm in California, Halleck, Peachy & Billings. Refusing a state supreme cour justiceship and a seat in the U.S. Senate,Halleck turned his talents to business, writing, and the California militia; in all of these fields he was markedly successful, acquiring a fortune and publishing several authoritative books on mining law and international law. In 1855 he married a granddaughter of Alexander Hamilton and thus became the brother-in-law of Major General Schulyer Hamilton, U.S. Volunteers. At the beginning of the Civil War, General Winfield Scott recommended to Abraham Lincoln that Halleck be appointed major general in the regular service; this was accordingly done, with rank from August 19, 1861. (At the time he was ranked only by Scott himself, George B. McClellan, and John C. Fremont.) His brilliant accomplishments early in his career contrast strangely with the later estimates of his contemporaries. Lincoln came to regard him as "little more than a first rate clerk"; Edwin M. Stanton characterized him as "probably the greatest scoundrel and most bare-faced villian in America''; McClellan felt that he was "the most hopelessly stupid of all men in high position"; and Giddeon Welles summed it all up by stating in his celebrated diary that "[Halleck] originates nothing, anticipates nothing...takes no responsibility, plans nothing, suggests nothing, is good for nothing." In November, 1861 Halleck relieved Fremont at St. Louis and, in a demonstration of his undoubted talents as an administrator quickly brought order out of the chaos in which his predecessor had plunged the Department of the Missouri. A series of successes by his subordinates - U.S. Grant at Forts Henry and Denelson, Samuel R. Curtis at Elkhorn Tavern (Pea Ridge), John Pope at Island No. 10, and Grant again at Shiloh - caused Halleck to shine in reflected glory, and his domain, enlarged to include Ohio and Kansas, was named the Department of the Mississippi. When he took the fild himself, however, his shortcomings became immediately apparent. With twice the number of P.G.T. Beuregard's forces, he moved too slowly on the rail junction of Corinth, permitting the Conferates to evacuate the town at their leisure. Lincoln now called Halleck to Washington as general in chief. One of Grant's biographers acidly commented: "Unable to command successfully on army, he was ordered to Washington to command all the armies." "Old Brains" now became known as "Old Wooden Head," as he plunged into a welter of minustiae, criticizing his subordinates for his own mistakes and frequently offering superfluous advice. In general he allowed the main purpose of the war to be obscured by his preoccupation with the manner of raising men and material. Perhaps his worst fault was his continual effort to shift responsibility to the shoulders of others; his primary virtue was his unflinching insistence upon order and discipline - both sadly lacking in the early days of the war. With Grant's promotion to the chief command in March, 1864, Halleck was demoted to chief of staff but continued to discharge much the same duties as theretofore. After Appomattox he served briefly as commander of the Military Division of the James and in August, 1865, was transferred to the command of the Pacific with headquarters at San Francisco. In 1869 he was appointed to command the Division of the South, with headquarters at Louisville, where died on January 9, 1872. He was buried in Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York.[Thomas Pine Petznick.FTW]
Henry Wager Halleck was born in Westernville, New York, on January 16, 1815. Early in life he ran away from home because of his dislike for farming and was adopted by his maternal grandfather, who sent him successively to the Hudson Academy, Union College (where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa), and West Point, from which he was graduated third in the class of 1839. An assistant professor while still an undergraduate at the Military Academy, Halleck first worked upon the fortifications of New York Harbor and in 1844 inspected those of France. Upon his return to the United States he wrote a Report on the Means of National Defence, which was published by Congress and won him an invitation from the Lowell Institute of Boston to deliver a series of lectures. These were published as Elements of Military Art and Science, a work which enjoyed wide circulation among soldiers for many years. En route to California by ship around the Horn at the outbreak of the Mexican War, Hallect translated Henri Jomini's monumental Vie Politique et Militaire de Napoleon, published in 1864. In California he discharded numerous important duties under the military government, including those of secrtary of state, chief of staff in lower California, and lieutenant governor of the Mexican city of Mazatlan. At the concludion of the war he was brevetted captain of the enginerrs and in 1853 was regularly promoted. Meantime he served as aide to General Bennet riley, as inspector and engineer of lighthouses, and as member of the board of engineers for Pacific Coast fortifications. He also played a prominent part in the formulation of the California constitution and studied law; upon his resignation from the army in 1854, he became head of the leading law firm in California, Halleck, Peachy & Billings. Refusing a state supreme cour justiceship and a seat in the U.S. Senate, Hallec turned his talents to business, writing, and the California militia; in all of these fields he was markedly successful, acquiring a fortune and publishing several authoritative books on mining law and international law. In 1855 he married a granddaughter of Alexander Hamilton and thus became the brother-in-law of Major General Schulyer Hamilton, U.S. Volunteers. At the beginning of the Civil War, General Winfield Scott recommended to Abraham Lincoln that Halleck be appointed major general in the regular service; this was accordingly done, with rank from August 19, 1861. (At the time he was ranked only by Scott himself, George B. McClellan, and John C. Fremont.) His brilliant accomplishments early in his career contrast strangely with the later estimates of his contemporaries. Lincoln came to regard him as "little more than a first rate clerk"; Edwin M. Stanton characterized him as "probably the greatest scoundrel and most bare-faced villian in America''; McClellan felt that he was "the most hopelessly stupid of all men in high position"; and Giddeon Welles summed it all up by stating in his celebrated diary that "[Halleck] originates nothing, anticipates nothing...takes no responsibility, plans nothing, suggests nothing, is good for nothing." In November, 1861 Halleck relieved Fremont at St. Louis and, in a demonstration of his undoubted talents as an administrator quickly brought order out of the chaos in which his predecessor had plunged the Department of the Missouri. A series of successes by his subordinates - U.S. Grant at Forts Henry and Denelson, Samuel R. Curtis at Elkhorn Tavern (Pea Ridge), John Pope at Island No. 10, and Grant again at Shiloh - caused Halleck to shine in reflected glory, and his domain, enlarged to include Ohio and Kansas, was named the Department of the Mississippi. When he took the fild himself, however, his shortcomings became immediately apparent. With twice the number of P.G.T. Beuregard's forces, he moved too slowly on the rail junction of Corinth, permitting the Conferates to evacuate the town at their leisure. Lincoln now called Halleck to Washington as general in chief. One of Grant's biographers acidly commented: "Unable to command successfully on army, he was ordered to Washington to command all the armies." "Old Brains" now became known as "Old Wooden Head," as he plunged into a welter of minustiae, criticizing his subordinates for his own mistakes and frequently offering superfluous advice. In general he allowed the main purpose of the war to be obscured by his preoccupation with the manner of raising men and material. Perhaps his worst fault was his continual effort to shift responsibility to the shoulders of others; his primary virtue was his unflinching insistence upon order and discipline - both sadly lacking in the early days of the war. With Grant's promotion to the chief command in March, 1864, Halleck was demoted to chief of staff but continued to discharge much the same duties as theretofore. After Appomattox he served briefly as commander of the Military Division of the James and in August, 1865, was transferred to the command of the Pacific with headquarters at San Francisco. In 1869 he was appointed to command the Division of the South, with headquarters at Louisville, where died on January 9, 1872. He was buried in Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York.
Henry Wager Halleck
(1815-1872)
The Civil War career of the much-maligned Union commander in chief and chief of staff, Henry W. Halleck, was summarized by Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles as he "originates nothing, anticipates nothing. . . . takes no responsibility, plans nothing, suggests nothing, is good for nothing." This harsh assessment was shared by many but is really unfair.
The New York native and West Pointer (1839) had been posted to the engineers and earned a brevet in Mexico. He also worked on fortifications, taught at the academy, and studied the French military. His writings included: Report on the Means of National Defense, Elements of Military Art and Science, and a translation of Henri Jomini's Vie Politique et Militaire de Napoleon. Due to his scholarly pursuits he became known as "Old Brains," but this sobriquet became derogatory during the Civil War.
Resigning as a captain in 1854, he became highly successful in the San Francisco law profession and helped frame the state's constitution. He maintained his interest in martial affairs through the militia and was recommended by Winfield Scott for a high post at the outset of the Civil War.
His assignments included: major general, USA (August 19,1861); commanding Department of the Missouri (November 19,1861 - March 11, 1862); commanding Department of the Mississippi (March 13 - September 19, 1862); commander in chief (July 11, 1862 - March 12,1864); chief of staff (March 12,1864-ca. April 16, 1865); commanding Department of Virginia and Army of the James (April 16-June 28, 1865); and commanding Military Division of the James (April 19 - June 27, 1865).
Succeeding John C. Fremont at St. Louis, he straightened out the mess that had been left behind. After Grant, his subordinate, had captured Forts Henry and Donelson, Halleck was rewarded with command of all the forces in the West. His enlarged command won victories at Pea Ridge, Island #10, and Shiloh. Taking immediate command of his three united field armies after the latter battle, he proved to be an incapable field commander in his only campaign. The advance on Corinth, Mississippi, was so slow that the Confederates were able to withdraw at their leisure; Halleck was advancing at a rate of about one mile per day and then entrenching.
Made commander in chief shortly thereafter, he displayed tremendous administrative abilities, but many of his subordinates complained that he never gave adequate indications of what he wanted them to do or kept them informed of what other field leaders were doing. Halleck was also noted for a tendency to blame others for failures and was deeply resented by most top generals. When Grant took over as commander in chief, Halleck became the army's staff head and proved highly capable, if unpopular.
At the end of the war he commanded in Virginia and later on the Pacific. He died while heading the Division of the South at Louisville, Kentucky. (Ambrose, Stephen E., Halleck: Lincoln's Chief of Staff )
Source: "Who Was Who In The Civil War" by Stewart Sifakis
Henry Wager Halleck
Halleck was born in Westernville, New York on January 16, 1815 and turned out to be one of the Union's most accomplished generals. Graduating third in his class at West Point in 1839, he was very proficient in military principles. In the field Halleck was cautious, yet spent much of his time at headquarters because of his arrogant manner. It was interesting how Halleck was viewed by others. General Grant thought that he was extremely intelligent, and General Sherman hailed him for his accomplishments, yet others saw him as cold and calculating, almost no good at all.
Before the Civil War began, Halleck experienced an outstanding career as a soldier, teacher, writer, and lawyer. An instructor at West Point, he soon became an accomplished expert in military fortifications. Additionally, he wrote and had published several books on both military and legal topics, as well as fought in Mexico. Furthermore, he served as secretary of state of California, and was one of the prominent attorneys during the gold-rush in San Francisco.
When the Civil War began in 1861, Halleck still had the love for the military in his blood. In August 1861, he accepted a commission as a major general in the Union army. Three months later, in November, he succeeded Major General John Fremont as the commander of the Department of the Missouri, headquartered at St. Louis. Previously a derelict command, Halleck restored discipline and decorum in the ranks. In the process, he earned the nickname of "Old Brains." In many battle victories of General Grant and Major Generals Samuel R. Curtis and Don Carlos Buell, it was Halleck who received and deserved the ultimate credit.
In July 1862, Halleck was named Abraham Lincoln's general-in-chief. Although he had a knack for administrative duties, he lacked in the area of field affairs, and this, combined with his pompous personality made him more enemies than friends. When Grant was named general-in-chief of all the Union armies in March 1864, Halleck assumed the position of chief of staff and remained so until war's end.
Following General Lee's surrender, Halleck assumed command of the Military Division of the James, and in August 1865, was assigned to the Division of the Pacific. In 1869 he was transferred to the Division of the South.
Henry Halleck died in Louisville, Kentucky on January 9, 1872.
The California Military Museum
Preserving California's Military Heritage
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Californians and the Military
Major General Henry Wager Halleck

The final surrender of the Mexican forces to Colonel John C. Fremont took place at San Fernando near Los Angeles January 12 1847
News of the Treaty of Peace between the United States and Mexico reached California August 7 1848 and was proclaimed by the Military Governor, Brevet Brigadier General Bennet Riley U. S. Army together with the probability that the Congress would very soon organize a territorial government
To meet the constantly perplexities of government greatly augmented by the gold rush, meetings were hold in San Francisco, Monterey, Sonoma, and San Jose for the purpose of forming a civil provisional territorial government. Early In 1849, the Argonauts from "around the horn" or via Panama, the caravans from across the western desert, Chinese, Peruvians, Chileans in fact all manner of men, women and children were arriving In California.
The Congress of the United States had just failed, after a six months struggle to grant a territorial government so an June 3, 1849 , a proclamation was issued by Governor Riley, "recommending the formation of a State constitution or a plan for a territorial government."
'The proclamation was posted in all public places. General Riley and his staff, on horseback traveled the mining regions to explain the Propositions contained in the proclamation. The business of constitution-making seemed something visionary to many and a matter of no importance to the indifferent.
The convention was to consist of thirty-seven delegates. The election of delegates was held on August 1, 1849. The convention met in Colton Hall, in the town of Monterey, at 12 o'clock noon on Saturday, September 1, 1849, and admitted to seats quite a number of delegates in excess of those contemplated in the proclamation, in fact, forty-eight delegates. The convention elected Dr. Robert Semple as its President and Captain William G. Marcy as Secretary.
Brevet Captain Henry Wager Halleck, the Military Secretary of States, was there and in a lone measure its brains because he had given more studious thought to the subject than any other, and General Riley had instructed him to help frame the new constitution.
The convention adopted the Constitution on October 10th and adjourned on October 13, 1849. The Constitution, thus framed, was ratified by the people at an election hold November 13th and it remained in force for thirty years.
The first state capital -was located at Pueblo de San Jose. It was here on Thursday, December 20, 1849, in the afternoon session that the Senate and the Assembly jointly proceeded to elect the two United States Senators. The first ballot indicated the following:
John C. Fremont 29 votes
William M. Gwin 22
Henry W. Halleck 12
Thomas J. Henly 11
Thomas Butler King 10
J. W. Geary 5
Robert Sample 3
Forty-six votes were cast for two senators. Fremont received a majority of all the votes cast and was duly declared elected. On the second ballot, no one had a majority, the third ballot was as follows:

William M. Gwin 24 votes
Henry W. Halleck 18
Thomas J. Henly 3
Thomas Butler King 1
Gwin was declared elected by the majority of votes cast.
There was much pressure of outside influence for other candidates than for the former military secretary of state. The Legislature did vote a salary of $10,000 a year for General Riley and $6,OOO a year for Brevet Captain Halleck from the commencement of their offices.
This first Legislature was to go down in history as the "Legislature of a thousand drinks."
What would have been the destiny of Brevet Captain Halleck, had he been elected an one of the first two United States Senators from California?
Henry Wagner Halleck was born in Westernville, Now York, January 16, 1815, When he was ready for higher education, a generous relative, Henry Wager, sent him, to Union Collage where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa; and later he entered the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York on July 1, 1835. He graduated with his class in 1839 and was commissioned second lieutenant of Engineers. He was number three in a class of thirty-one. He remained at West Point for two more years an assistant professor of engineering.
In the fall of 1844, he accomplanied Marshal Bertrand to Europe. The inspiration of this tour abroad caused him, on his return home,to write a, Report on the Means of National Defense, which was published by the Congress (Senate Document Number 85, 28th Congress; 2nd Session) and was so highly thought of that he was invited by the Lowell Institute of Boston to deliver twelve lectures. These he published in 1846 under the title, Elements of Military Arts and Science, a book which was looked upon as authoritative and had a wide circulation during the Civil War among regular and volunteer officers.
Halleck was promoted to First Lieutenant of Engineers an January 1, 1845. When the Mexican War broke out in 1846, he was sent on the transport Lexington to Monterey, California, by way of Cape Horn. During the voyage of seven months,, he translated Henri Jomini's, Vie Politique et Militaire de Napoleon, which he published in four volumes in 1864.
Halleck was large, somewhat heavy, with scant light curly hair, a heavy chin and pale blue steady eyes - the image of composure and dignity.
"A regimental clerk with the personality of a cold muffin" one of his colleagues said of him. But the colleague was not one of the number close to Halleck. He was a man of hard practical brain, a born pedagogue and as stiffly formal as a judge.
Halleck was probably the first American to appreciate early California history certainly he was the very first collector of Californiana. While In Monterey he began to gather Spanish documents which eventually numbered several hundred, consisting of some 4000 pages; originals and transcripts of originals - official reports of missions, explorations, Indian uprisings, governmental and political matters, taken from the heart of the records at Monterey. This acquisition, though a bit high-handed, and possibly illegal, was historically fortunate. For if Edwin M. Stanton, agent for the Federal Archives Commission had not found them while on his mission to California in 1858, and had not deposited the documents in the Surveyor-General's office in San Francisco where they belonged, Hubert Howe Bancroft could not have had them copied and thus have preserved their contents, As it is, copies of Halleck's documents and transcripts are now secure in the Bancroft Library at the University of California - all that remains, of the archives of territorial California, the originals having been lost In the San Francisco earthquake and fire of 1906.
During the "fabulous 50s" in San Francisco, Halleck, in spite of a coolly reserved and none too friendly personality, grew into deserved prominence. He was a lawyer, businessman author Director
General of the famous New Almaden (quicksilver) Company near San Jose, a director in the banking house of Parrott and Company, President of the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad (San Francisco to San Jose) and the builder of the Montgomery Block known at first, as "Halleck's Folly." He was 'the owner of the 30,000 acre Rancho Nicasio In Marin County*
He continued as aide to General Riley and was inspector and engineer for fortifications of the Pacific Coast. His promotion to captain of engineers was dated July 1. 1853, Because of the usual reduction of the army after a war, and the hopeless future in a profession little rewarded by the government, he resigned from the service an August 19, 1854.
Halleck married Elizabeth Hamilton, the granddaughter of Alexander Hamilton on April 10, 1855. From this union was born an only child, Henry Wager Halleck, Jr. in 1856.
On the front page of the, Alta California, appeared this notice that was run daily for a month:
"Halleck, Peachy and Billings, Attorneys and Solicitors, San Francisco offices, the room at present occupied by Peachy and Billings on the north side of Sacramento Street, between Kearny and Dupont Streets. Mr, Billings, Commissioner for Nov York, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. H. Wager Halleck, Arch'd Carey Peachy, Frederick Billings. January 1, 1850"
Several years later, a person with a clever and lively sense of humor said, "Halleck went on to become chief of the Federal armies, Billings became, a railroad multimillionaire, but Peachy lived. "
The Hallecks lived in an unpretentious home in the exclusive South Park district on Rincon Hill at the corner of Second and Folsom Streets.
His library, which was housed in his law office, was already large with cart loads of old Spanish documents on parchment, Spanish land titles, books on engineering, law optics, metallurgy, architecture, mining, heraldry and many other subjects.
Halleck's business and engineering ability enabled him to finance design and direct, the erection of a four story brick building an the corner of Montgomery and Washington Streets. He had in mind a major conflagration in San Francisco In June, 1851, and his valuable library so he planned the building with yard-thick walls for fireproofing and proof even against the kind of an earthquake "with
torque as a laundress wringing a sheet.
The housewarming Of the Montgomery Block was bold two days before Christmas 1853, just fourteen months after the Chinese began digging out mud for the foundation. (Montgomery Street, at that time, running along the edge of Yerba Buena cove, towards its northern end, was separated from the bay by the filling in of the whole cove and to now a number of blacks from the water)
It was in front of this building that James King of William was abet and fatally injured by James Casey; an act which reactivated the Vigilantes of 1856.
Mr. 0. P. Stidger at his office, in the Montgomery Block drafted the proclamation of the Republic of China for Dr. Sun Yat-Sen,
Henry W. Halleck was commissioned a Major General in the California Militia by the Governor of California. The following letters give an indication of his activities during his nine months service an a California militiaman:

San Francisco Dec 17th 1860
To His Excellency
J. G. Downey
Gov. of California
Sir:
I have received through your private secretary, the commission of Major General of the 2d Division of California Militia. I have accepted duly qualified.
I sincerely thank you for this mark of Your confidence, and hope that my future conduct my prove that it has not been misplaced.
Very respectfully
Your obt servt
H.W. Halleck

San Francisco Jany 21st 1861
To His Excellency
J. C. Downey, Gov. & C
Sacramento
Dear Governor
I take the liberty of addressing you unofficially on a matter connected with our militia organization.
When I entered upon my duties as Major Genl of the division I could find no records of any kind and nothing to show who were really officers of the division. On applying to the Gentleman who acted as Asst Adjt Genl to my predecessor, he informed me that there were no records of any kinds that he had never had a commission, and that he believed no officer of the division staff had been commissioned, except the surgeon, and that there was no order or regulation fixing the rank of staff officers. I have moreover, beenn informed that there is no uniformity as to the rank of such officers in the different divisions & brigades, each general appointing as he pleased. Perhaps this may not be so
Art. 2835. Mood's Digest, authorizes the Governor to fix the rank of such officers and provides that they are to be appointed by the Generals as for officers of the same grade in the Army of the U.S. But in the Army of the U. S. there is no law or fixed rule (except as to Aides do Camp), the Secty of War assigning to any General such Staff officers as he may deem proper. It follows therefore, from our Statute that the Governor must not only commission & fix the rank of these Staff officers, but he must also designate that these officers shall be, that is; how many and of what name they shall be.
I have postponed appointing any one to the Staff of this division, till some order or regulation shall be made so as to reader the organization uniform throughout the state. After consulting with some Army officers I have drawn up the form of an order upon this matter which I inclose herewith for your consideration. With such modifications as you may deem advisable, I think it will make our organization as good as it can be made under our present defective law.
At the request of some members of the legislature I am preparing a project of a new law, which I will submit for your examination.
very respectfully
Your obt Servt
H. W. Halleck

Head Quarters, 2d Divisions
San Francisco February 9th 1861
To His Excellency, J. 0. Downey
Gov. & Commander in Chief,
Sir I have made the following appointments to the staff of this division and I submit them to your Excellency for commissions:
1. LaFayette Hammond of San Francisco, to be Assistant Adjutant General, with the rank of Lt. Col,
2. William T. Lewis of San Francisco, to be Engineer Officer with the rank of Liut. Col.
3. Samuel 0. Houghton of San Jose, Santa Clara County, to be Ordnance Officer, with the rank of Lt. Col.
4. William F. Rodgers, of San Leandro, Alameda County to be Paymaster, with the rank of Lt. Col..
5. De Witt C. Thompson of San Francisco to be Division Inspector, with the rank of Lt. Col.
6. Robert C. Rogers., of San Francisco
General Henry Wager Halleck
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Henry Wager Halleck
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