Henry Wager “Old Brains” Halleck
Born: January 16, 1815
Birthplace: Westernville, Oneida County, New York
Father: Joseph Halleck 1784 – 1857
(Buried: Westernville Cemetery, Westernville, New York)
Mother: Catherine Wager 1795 – 1868
(Buried: Westernville Cemetery, Westernville, New York)
Wife: Elizabeth Hamilton 1831 – 1884
(Buried: Green – Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York)
Children:
Henry Wager “Harry” Halleck 1856 – 1882
(Buried: Green – Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York)
Education:
1839: Graduated from West Point Military Academy – (3rd in class)
Occupation before War:
1839 – 1845: 2nd Lt. United States Army Engineers
1839 – 1840: Assistant Engineering Professor at West Point
1840 – 1841: Assistant to the Board of Engineers in Washington, D.C.
1841–1846: Assistant Engineer Repairing Fort Wood & Governors Island
1841: Author of Bitumen: it’s varieties, properties and uses
1845 – 1853: 1st Lt. United States Army Engineers
1846: Author of Elements of Military Art and Science
1847 – 1848: Aide to U.S. Navy Commodore W. B. Shubrick
1847 – 1849: California Secretary of State
1847: Brevetted Captain for Gallantry for His California Duty
1848: Appointed and Declined Engineer Professor at Harvard Univ.
1849: Member of California State Constitution Convention
1850 – 1861: Director General of New Alamaden Quicksilver Mine
1852 – 1854: Inspector and Engineer of Light Houses on Pacific Coast
1853 – 1854: Captain of United States Army Engineers
1853 – 1861: Attorney in San Francisco, California
1854: Resigned from United States Army on August 1st
1855: President of Pacific and Atlantic Railroad Company
1860 – 1861: Major General of California State Militia
Civil War Career:1861 – 1872: Major General, United States Army
1861 – 1862: Commander of U.S. Army Department of Missouri
1861 – 1862: Major General, Missouri State Militia
1862: Commander during the Corinth, Mississippi Campaign
1862: Commander of U.S. Army Department of Mississippi
1862: Sick in Saint Louis, Missouri with Camp Measles
1862 – 1864: General – in – chief of United States Army
1864 – 1865: Chief of Staff of the United States Army
1864: Suffered from hay – cold that made it unable for him to see
1865: Commander Military Division of the James
1865 – 1866: Commander of Military Division of the Pacific
Occupation after War:
1861 – 1872: Major General, United States Army
1866 – 1869: Commander of U.S. Army Division of the Pacific
1869 – 1872: Commander of U.S. Army Division of the South
Died: January 9, 1872
Place of Death: Louisville, Kentucky
Cause of Death: Softening of the brain superimposed on chronic disease of the heart and liver
Age at time of Death: 57 years old
Burial Place: Green – Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York
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