HENRY WAGER HALLECK.

BY JUDGE J. W. FREELON

M

AJOR GENERAL HENRY WAGER HALLECK, U. S. Army, was born on the banks of the Mohawk River, at Westville, Oneida County, State of New York, in 1815. He is a lineal descendant from Peter Halleck, one of the Pilgrim Fathers, who landed at Halleck's Neck, Southold, in 1640, and settled within the limits of Aquebogue, near Mattituck.

The family name in England is Holly Oak, and Fitz Greene Halleck, the poet, traced back the lineage to the Percy family. The General's grandfather, Deacon Gabez, changed the spelling of the family name from Hallock to Halleck the orthography adopted also by that branch of the family from which Fitz Greene Halleck descended. The subject of this biographical notice does not, however, claim any interest in the Mount Halak territory annexed by Joshua, and which the poet used to claim as the original homestead of his Puritan ancestors.

General Halleck's father, Joseph, was a Lieutenant in the war of 1812, and a civil magistrate in his county for some thirty years. His mother was the daughter of Henry Wager, of Oneida County, New York. He was a man of strong sense, and filled many legislative and political positions with credit. His father came from Baden Baden and settled on the Hudson River. The old mansion, with its gable end towards the street, built of bricks imported from Holland, is still standing in Columbia County. The name was originally spelled, as it still is, in Germany, Waghner.

The subject of this sketch, after a preliminary academi

cal education, and a brief residence at Union College, New York, entered the Military Academy in 1835, nominated by the late Judge Beardsley, then Member of Congress, and was graduated and promoted as Second Lieutenant of Engineers in 1839-ranking third in a class of thirty-one cadets. During his furlough, he returned to, and completed his studies at, Union College. From his graduation till 1844 he was on duty as Assistant Professor of Engineering, at the Academy, and employed on the fortifications in New York harbor. In 1845 he made an extended tour in Europe, examining into the various military establishments of the principal States. After his return, he delivered a series of lectures before the Lowell Institute, of Boston, on Military Art and Science.

In the summer of 1846 he was sent, via Cape Horn, to the Pacific Coast, and was actively employed both in civil and military capacities during the Mexican war. For gallant conduct in the affairs of Palos, Prietos and Urias, Mexico, November 19th and 20th, 1847, he was breveted a Captain. He was subsequently distinguished in the affairs of San Antonio and Todos Santos, Lower California, March 16th and 30th, 1848. At the former place, with a small detachment of mounted volunteers with whom he had made a forced march from La Paz, he surprised and defeated a Mexican garrison of several hundred men, capturing two officers and other prisoners, the colors and official records; destroying arms and ammunition, and returning to his post within thirty hours, during which he had accomplished these results and a march of one hundred and twenty miles. At Todos Santos he led the attack with two companies of the New York Volunteers, and "for his assistance as Chief of Staff," and "for the able manner in which he led on the attack," he was specially commended in the official report of his commanding officer.

Captain Halleck also acted as Aid-de-Camp to Commodore Shubrick in the naval and military operations along the Mexican coast, and in that capacity participated in the capture of Mazatlan, of which place he was made Lieutenant Governor. He is closely identified with the

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early history of California, acting as Secretary of State under the military governments of Generals Mason and Riley, and during the same period as Auditor of the Revenues. He was a prominent member of the Convention assembled in 1849 to form a State Constitution; and as an active member of the drafting committee, had an important part in the preparation of that instrument; being distinguished also for his able and determined opposition against all attempts to engraft African slavery upon this State. Between the years 1850 and 1854, he was on duty as Judge Advocate and Inspector and Engineer of Lighthouses on this coast. Having attained the rank of Captain of Engineers, he resigned from the army. In 1854 he entered into the practice of law in San Francisco, and was for many years the senior partner of one of the largest lawfirms in California. He was Director General of the New Almaden Quicksilver Mine, 1850-61; President of the Pacific and Atlantic Railroad from San Francisco to San Jose, 1855, and Major General of Militia, 1860–61.

Soon after the breaking out of civil war he returned into the army, being appointed on the recommendation of Lieut. Gen. Scott, a Major General, August 17th, 1861. From November of same year till March, 1862, he was in command of the Department of the Missouri, holding also a commission as Major General of Missouri Militia. During this period he was actively engaged in reconstructing a chaotic department in which materiel was wanting and the personnel was demoralized, and in directing offensive operations against the enemy. He had the principal direction of the military movements resulting in the successful campaigns of the West, commencing in February, 1862.

In March, 1862, General Halleck assumed command of the Department of the Mississippi, and in the following month took immediate command of the army before Corinth. The investment of this place was, under his personal direction, conducted to a successful issue, notwithstanding obstacles almost insurmountable. Deficient in the means of transportation, he advanced over and in roads nearly impassable, and through forests that might