Henry Wager Halleck Essay Research Paper Henry free essay sample

Henry Wager Halleck Essay, Research Paper Henry Wager Halleck Discord Among Generals by Glen R. Hees Henry Wager Halleck, or # 8220 ; Old Brains # 8221 ; as he was called, served as general in head of the Union ground forcess in the Civil war. His moniker referred to his # 8220 ; theoretical glare # 8221 ; although there were terrible uncertainties as to his field accomplishments. General Halleck was the beginning of many other General? s troubles and his actions portrayed a adult male obsessed with self service. His indecisiveness and deficiency of tactical competency would take discord among the really troops he was supposed to take, and among his equals every bit good. Indeed, the conflict at Fort Donelson might hold gone much drum sander for the Union had there been a more competent leader of Western Troops. Halleck shared bid in the West with another General named Buell. Although the two were supposed to work with eachother, much of the clip was spent surpassing the other, or doing the other expression bad in order to derive acknowledgment. We will write a custom essay sample on Henry Wager Halleck Essay Research Paper Henry or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Halleck? s ultimate strategy was to hold the full western Union forces under his bid entirely. President Lincoln rejected this thought and continued to promote the cooperation of Halleck and Buell. The tensenesss between Halleck and Buell inadvertently brought Grant into the center, conveying the wrath of Halleck upon Grant. This efficaciously caused operations in the West to crunch to a arrest. Refusing to work together, Grant had problem spoting which General to listen to, but finally favored Buell. This enraged Halleck, who was already covetous of Grant? s recent celebrity after the pickings of Fort Henry. Halleck instantly wrote a missive to Washington, denouncing Grant and get downing the rumour that Grant had taken up his imbibing once more. Halleck? s cunctation was known to many in the Union, and was the ground that many commanding officers made their ain determinations and tried to warrant them subsequently. One such incident involved Foote, a naval commanding officer. When it was learned that Halleck was doing a determination on motion to Fort Henry, Foote took it upon himself to fix everything and get down motion. Halleck tended to wait until the last minute when he would be forced to do a determination, even with the suggestions of his subsidiary leaders and equals. Halleck had the inclination to believe himself significantly better than his equals, and would frequently acquire covetous at their successes. His actions even had Grant contemplating go forthing the ground forces and turning over his bid. Even while the Union ground forces had better equipment, and superior subject among its military personnels, it? s leading was in shambles. Just before the onslaughts on Fort Henry and Fort Donelson, Halleck had made the determination to assail without stating Buell. When Buell learned of the program, he asked Halleck if he needed any cooperation, which Halleck refused. Subsequently, as the traveling got tough though, Halleck asked Buell to function under him. Clearly, the grounds for this were self-seeking, and it was obvious that Halleck was out to progress his military lucks. It was at this point that Buell began to happen grounds why he could non assist, and when he eventually moved, it was to Nashville. The triumph at both Fort Henry and Fort Donelson were a direct consequence of Grant? s onslaughts. Halleck, sitting at his desk in St. Louis, had directed the whole operation but frequently without cognizing what was genuinely traveling on. He claimed recognition for the pickings of the two garrisons and demanded that he be made commanding officer of all the ground forcess in the West. His foreman, McClellan short replied that he believed Buell could command his military personnels better than Halleck could from behind a desk in St. Louis. Halleck recommended publicities for Grant and Buell, even though he claimed the recognition for the triumphs. Allow? s publicity would come, but on the President? s ain enterprise and with a great trade of involvement in the up and coming General. Halleck, a cautious adult male by nature, was non prone to doing immediate determinations except when it came to provide and resupply. The one thing that can be said for the general is that he kept Grant supplied with work forces and arms during his conflicts at Fort Henry and Fort Donelson. During the conflicts themselves, Halleck did non lend much, and Grant was able to utilize his tactical accomplishments without much hinderance. If Halleck would hold been more decisive earlier on the conflicts would hold been much easier on the Union military personnels and likely would hold allowed them to derive a impulse that would unclutter the Confederates out of the country much quicker. The conflict of Fort Donelson was of import in fring the Tennessee country of Confederate military personnels, yet a reader of history can merely inquire what would hold come approximately had there been cooperation among the commanding officers and better lines of communicating. Persons can non do the best usage out of a big ground forces, nor can they hold control of an ground forces that is 100s of stat mis off. As a supply officer, Halleck might hold excelled, but as a commanding officer of military personnels in conflict, he was outshined by his equals with better tactical field experience. Bibliography Ambrose, Stephen E. Halleck: Lincoln? s Chief of Staff. Baton Rouge, 1962. Bradford, Ned. Battles and Leaders of the Civil War. New York: Appleton-Century Crofts, Inc. , 1956. Cooling, Benjamin F. Forts Henry and Donelson: The Key to the Confederate Heartland. Knoxville: The University of Tennessee Press, 1987. Horn, Stanley F. Tennessee? s War 1861-1865. Nashville: Tennessee Civil War Centennial Commission, 1965. Hubbell, John T. Battles Lost and Won. Westport: Greenwood Press, 1975. McDonough, James Lee. Shiloh # 8211 ; in Hell before Night. Knoxville: The University of Tennessee Press, 1977. Williams, Harry T. Lincoln and His Generals. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1952. Ambrose, Stephen E. , Halleck: Lincoln? s Chief of Staff ( Baton Rouge, 1962 ) 2. Cooling, Benjamin Franklin, Forts Henry and Donelson: The Key to the Confederate Heartland ( Knoxville: The University of Tennessee Press, 1987 ) 226. McDonough, James Lee, Shiloh # 8211 ; in Hell before Night ( Knoxville: The University of Tennessee Press, 1977 ) 37. McDonough, 40. McDonough, 40. Williams, Harry, Lincoln and His Generals ( New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1952 ) 59.