H. W. (Henry Wager) Halleck

author

H. W. (Henry Wager) Halleck

1815–1872

Best known as a top Union commander in the Civil War, he combined a scholar’s mind with a career that ranged from West Point and the Mexican-American War to national military leadership. Nicknamed “Old Brains,” he was admired for his learning and administrative skill even when his battlefield record drew criticism.

1 Audiobook

Elements of Military Art and Science Or, Course Of Instruction In Strategy, Fortification, Tactics Of Battles, &C.; Embracing The Duties Of Staff, Infantry, Cavalry, Artillery, And Engineers; Adapted To The Use Of Volunteers And Militia; Third Edition; With Critical Notes On The Mexican And Crimean Wars.

Elements of Military Art and Science Or, Course Of Instruction In Strategy, Fortification, Tactics Of Battles, &C.; Embracing The Duties Of Staff, Infantry, Cavalry, Artillery, And Engineers; Adapted To The Use Of Volunteers And Militia; Third Edition; With Critical Notes On The Mexican And Crimean Wars.

by H. W. (Henry Wager) Halleck

About the author

Raised in upstate New York and educated at West Point, Henry Wager Halleck graduated near the top of his class in 1839. Early in his career he served as an engineer, taught military subjects, and built a reputation as a serious student of strategy and law.

Halleck took part in the Mexican-American War and later became an important figure in early California, where he worked as an army officer, lawyer, and public intellectual. His writings on military science helped make him one of the best-known professional soldiers in the country before the Civil War began.

During the Civil War, he rose to high command in the Union Army and served as general in chief in Washington. Although historians often note that he was more effective as an organizer and administrator than as a field commander, he remained a central figure in the Union war effort and continued in senior army service until his death in 1872.