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Major General Henry Wager Halleck was one of the key Union generals during the US Civil War. At one time US President Lincoln named him general in chief, replacing George McClellan. Halleck taught French at West Point.
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What year did Union General Henry Wager Halleck graduate from West Point?
General Henry W. Halleck graduated from West Point in 1839. He was ranked third in a graduating class of 31. Halleck had a fine career during the US Civil War. Foe a time, President Lincoln promoted him to the position of general in chief. In that role both generals US Grant and George B. McClellan reported to Halleck.
What was one of strong points of Union General Henry Halleck?
Biographies on Union General Henry Halleck point out that his best area in military matters was in engineering. With that background, Halleck was an expert at fortifications. He also rote a book on this subject. His work called Elements of Military Art and Science was greeted with good reviews.
What factor hampered Union General George Meade as commander of the Army of the Potomac?
There seemed to be a communications gap between General Henry Halleck and General Meade. The problem seemed to be over the logistical support for his army and the views of Halleck on this crucial point.
What elements did General Halleck bring to the position of general in chief for the Union?
Major General Henry W. Halleck was a good choice to replace General George B. McClellan as the Union's new general in chief. He had what President Lincoln was looking for. Halleck was a West Point graduate with genuine prestige. This sat well with the army and the general public. Halleck also had already established a strong loyalty among the Union's western commanders. He would be new to the Eastern Theater, and this required all of his skills to deal with the eastern officers such as Burnside, Hooker and McClellan. General Pope would also move to the East, however, Halleck already knew of his abilities.
What were the views of Union General in Chief Henry Halleck concerning the Army of the Potomac in 1863?
General in Chief Henry W. Halleck was deeply involved in Union operations in Virginia in 1863. As the Summer approached, Halleck believed that Union General Joseph Hooker, commanding the Army of the Potomac would have to react to General Robert E. Lee's actions in northern Virginia. He believed that it was possible for Lee to pin Hooker back into defending Washington DC, and at the same time conduct a raid into Maryland and Pennsylvania. Halleck assured Hooker that if needed he would reinforce Hooker with troops from the Shenandoah Valley and from West Point.
How did the evacuation of Corinth Mississippi by Confederate General PT Beauregard fit into the plans of Union General Henry W Halleck?
For months, Union General Henry Wager Halleck had achieved his goal of breaking the railway called the Memphis and Charleston. From the Southern point of view this was bad news. At one time the former Confederate Secretary of War Walker declared that this very railroad was the backbone of the South. Perhaps that was a bit exaggerated.
What did Union General Henry Halleck believe about General Winfield Scott's idea of controlling the Mississippi River?
Major General Henry W. Halleck saw merit in the pre-war plans of the then Union general in chief, Winfield Scott. Halleck expected a Southern counter attack on General Grant's army at Pittsburg Landing. As the Union's commander in the Western Theater, he ordered the forces of General Buell to move down the Tennessee River and reinforce Grant. Anxious to control the Mississippi River, Halleck did not concentrate his entire force on the Tennessee River. Halleck kept General John Pope and an army of 25,000 troops west of the Mississippi, working with the Union navy, to capture Confederate strongholds there. He therefore, by his actions, agreed with Scott's idea of using the Mississippi River as a control point to keep as many Confederate forces as possible separated from each other.
What caused President Lincoln to send Major General Henry W. Halleck to St. Louis?
In the early part of the US Civil War, President Lincoln was upset with the political operations of General Fremont in Missouri. At one point Fremont, declared that Missouri slaves were now "free". This was beyond the jurisdiction of any Union general. Halleck, an experienced West Point (USMA ) graduate was sent to St. Louis as Fremont's replacement.
What were the credentials that made General Henry W Halleck a good choice for general in chief for the Union?
When President Lincoln appointed Henry Wager Halleck to be general in chief, Lincoln was impressed with Halleck's credentials. Briefly Halleck was an excellent choice because of the following:1. His early education was at the Fairfield Academy;2. Attended Union college and won election to Phi Beta Kappa;3. Graduated from West Point;4. He was an instructor at West Point;5. Wrote several books on military strategy;6. Visited Europe to inspect France's harbor operations; and7. He was offered a professorship to teach engineering at Harvard.These are not all of his credentials and qualifications, for example he was successful in the Union's war effort in the West. But certainly, Halleck seemed more than qualified to command the Union armies.
Did Union General in Chief Henry W Halleck serve in the Mexican War?
The one time Union General in Chief, Henry Wager Halleck graduated third in his class at West Point in 1839. However, he was not directly involved in the Mexican War. He served that time of the war in California. Halleck had earned the reputation of being an expert in military theory, international mining law, and harbor defenses. He was the author of several military books and resigned his commission in 1854. He became an attorney and made himself available for service when the Fort Sumter incident happened in 1861.
What Union General was the commander of the Department of Missouri in 1863?
In 1863, General in Chief Henry Halleck had appointed Major General John Scofield as the commanding officer of the Department of Missouri. Scofield was a New Yorker and a graduate of West Point. Missouri was an important border state and a slave state. It was vital that Missouri and other border states remained in the Union.
Why did Union General Henry Wager Halleck remark he had reached Washington DC in a period of great peril?
When US President had named General Henry W. Halleck general in chief, Halleck reached Washington in a time of more then great peril. Some might describe it as a time that might decide the fate of the Union. Of ultimate concern was the fact that in 1862, the Army of Northern Virginia lay between the the armies of Union generals Pope and McClellan. The very life of the capital, Washington DC was threatened.In addition to his military woes, it was well known at the time that there were serious issues between General McClellan and the Lincoln administration. As was once pointed earlier, this added to the chaos in the Western theater, as Halleck did not help the interpersonal problems, but added to them by believing he had a better grasp of the Union's military situation, even to the point of having newspapers have a revoloving door when giving credit to Union gerals for Union victories.
