Henry W. Halleck

[Manassas 1861]

Grant was made general in chief in March 1864, replacing H.W. Halleck. What did Halleck do after being replaced?

 

[RyanQ1864]

He was appointed Chief of Staff of the army. Stuck around DC.

 

[wausaubob]

General Halleck performed much of the administrative work necessary to run the army. Among other tasks, he most likely kept Grant informed of what was happening in other departments.

 

[Nathan Stuart]

Here is a brief chronological rundown of General Halleck's military career activities following Grant's appointment as Commander-in-Chief, US Army.

12 Mar. '64 to 19 Apr. '65
Chief of Staff, General HQ, based in Washington DC. (He was also a pall-bearer at Lincoln's funeral).

19 Apr. '65 to 27 Jun. '65
Commanded Military Division of the James, based at Richmond, VA.

27 Jun. '65 to 1 Jun. '69
Commanded Military Division of the Pacific, based in San Francisco, CA. (During summer, '68, he visited Alaska, and the department of Alaska was added to this military division on 18 Mar. '68).

9 Jan. '72
He died at Louisville, KY.

Appears Halleck got appointed to senior administrative command roles in various military divisions (with each division comprising multiple departments), for the next four years after the war.

But his activities during the final couple of years of his life are unknown (to me).

 

[jackt62]

General Halleck performed much of the administrative work necessary to run the army. Among other tasks, he most likely kept Grant informed of what was happening in other departments.

General Halleck is often maligned in the historical record because of various perceived defects (e.g., inability or refusal to make hard decisions, incompetent command ability). But I believe that he found his proper role in the Chief-of-Staff position during the later years of the war. Halleck was a competent administrator and performed admirably in that regard. While some may argue that the Chief-of-Staff was nothing more than a glorified clerk position (a la MacArthur's later comment about Eisenhower), Halleck fulfilled a critical role in communicating between General HQ and the far flung field commands; arranging and shifting resources to where most needed; and ensuring that major staff responsibilities in logistics and engineering were being looked after from a central point. He should be evaluated in that context and given sufficient credit.

 

[wausaubob]

General Halleck is often maligned in the historical record because of various perceived defects (e.g., inability or refusal to make hard decisions, incompetent command ability). But I believe that he found his proper role in the Chief-of-Staff position during the later years of the war. Halleck was a competent administrator and performed admirably in that regard. While some may argue that the Chief-of-Staff was nothing more than a glorified clerk position (a la MacArthur's later comment about Eisenhower), Halleck fulfilled a critical role in communicating between General HQ and the far flung field commands; arranging and shifting resources to where most needed; and ensuring that major staff responsibilities in logistics and engineering were being looked after from a central point. He should be evaluated in that context and given sufficient credit.

Someone had to run the enormous bureaucracy that developed. A task such as putting Granger in command of Farragut's army support at Mobile Bay was most likely something that Halleck did for President Lincoln. Grant probably would have chosen someone other than Granger. It seems as if Halleck's role was diminished starting in August 1864. Halleck and Meade both gave Grant time to grow into the role of commanding general.

 

[13 IL Cav & 64 GA Inf]

Here is a brief chronological rundown of General Halleck's military career activities following Grant's appointment as Commander-in-Chief, US Army.

12 Mar. '64 to 19 Apr. '65
Chief of Staff, General HQ, based in Washington DC. (He was also a pall-bearer at Lincoln's funeral).

19 Apr. '65 to 27 Jun. '65
Commanded Military Division of the James, based at Richmond, VA.

27 Jun. '65 to 1 Jun. '69
Commanded Military Division of the Pacific, based in San Francisco, CA. (During summer, '68, he visited Alaska, and the department of Alaska was added to this military division on 18 Mar. '68).

9 Jan. '72
He died at Louisville, KY.

Appears Halleck got appointed to senior administrative command roles in various military divisions (with each division comprising multiple departments), for the next four years after the war.

But his activities during the final couple of years of his life are unknown (to me).

Very good reply, @Nathan Stuart.

 

[Josh The Lighthouse Guy]

The year he spent as Grant's chief paper pusher was Halleck's finest hour. It played to both his and Grant's strengths.

 

[LtGenHenryWagerHalleck]

I served as chief of staff which I was uniquely qualified for given my administrative ability and knowledge of laws and regulations. I stayed in Washington and coordinated the movement and communications between the various armies of the republic as Grant directed. I also acted as an intermediary between the president/secretary of war and generals. I also worked closely with Montgomery Meigs to keep the field armies supplied. As Sherman said to Grant before our falling "Don't stay in Washington. Halleck is better qualified than you to stand the buffets of intrigue and policy. Come West; take to yourself the whole Mississippi Valley. Let us make it dead sure, and I tell you the Atlantic slopes and Pacific shores will follow its destiny as sure as the limbs of a tree live or die with the main trunk.".

I literally wrote the book on Jomeni and was good at organizing and consolidating strategic sites. This is best shown by my brilliant capture of Corinth which for some reason went unappreciated