Commander of All Lincoln's Armies: A Life of General Henry W. Halleck

by John F. Marszalek

In the summer of 1862, President Lincoln called General Henry W. Halleck to Washington, D.C., to take command of all Union armies in the death struggle against the Confederacy. For the next two turbulent years, Halleck was Lincoln's chief war advisor, the man the President deferred to in all military matters. Yet, despite the fact that he was commanding general far longer than his successor, Ulysses S. Grant, he is remembered only as a failed man,...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: B005IUV99I
• ISBN13: 9780674014930
• Release Date: December 2004
• Publisher: Belknap Press
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 1.43 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.1" x 9.5"

Customer Reviews

Halleck's trouble psyche

John Marszlek's biography on General Henry Halleck is probably the best one out there. Of course, that isn't saying much since of all the major commanding generals of our nation's history, he remains the most ignored. Nevertheless, this biography does filled the bill in doing justice to Halleck's life from start to finish. I guess what bother some of the previous reviewers is the way the author uses Halleck's damage psyche caused by his troubles with his father. The author believes that this damage effectively hampered Halleck's ability to lead and direct. It also appears that lack of a fatherly figurehead damage Halleck's ability in people skills. This premise appears to be somewhat contradictory since the author uses this to point out Halleck's failure as a soldier in command but yet, in civilian life in California, Halleck was a success. It should be pointed out that Halleck according to the author was popular in California, only state that actually grieved his passing. The author was never able to fuse to two careers of Halleck together with his psyche approach. From the book, Halleck proves to be a perfect paper pushing administrator and his true genius as a soldier came in that supporting position. As the author cheerfully stated, Halleck found heaven on earth as Grant's Chief of Staff, a job that fitted his personality and skills like a glove. From the book, I realized that Halleck's contribution to the Union cause was more positive then negative. His ability to coordinate paper works, logistics, and relying orders contributed greatly to the overall Union victory. His fame as military scholar and thinker misled many people to think that his massive knowledge equal battlefield mastery and leadership. I strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in the life and time of Henry Halleck. Without a doubt, he is one of the most misunderstood personalities of the American Civil War.

An enigmatic officer

The author, as he did in his biography of Sherman, bases much of his interpretation of Halleck's character on his relationship with his father. Whether this is correct or not, this book does a good job of delineating Halleck's prewar life and career. Once the war gets underway, Halleck rises to a position for which he is unsuited. Henry Halleck has managed to remain in the shadows of history for a long time. This book does bring his performance into the light of scrutiny.

The best study of Halleck, but....

This is only the 3rd biography of the least remembered General of the Army of the Civil War. James Robertson published a short monograph early in his career. Not to long ago Kurt Anders released Henry Halleck's War, which fulsomely praised Halleck's accomplishments and intellectual influence; but blithely ignored Halleck's manifest failures as a commander. Dr. Marszalek provides a tonic. His research has revealed the development of the man; his intellectualism, his ambition, and his inability to compete and lead others forthrightly. There is also the picture of a frustrated and ill man dealing with stress and disease with opiates, alcohol and tobacco. While Marszalek leaves one wondering as to the ultimate debilitating effects of these drugs, there presence leaves the reader ill at ease. While this is a superior critical biography, I was left most unsatified by the discussions of general staff prosecution of the war and how Halleck managed his role as the chief executive of the Army. Kurt Anders detailed review of the Official Records correspondence gives more credence to Halleck's influence over Sherman and Grant than Marszalek allows. Since critical journals and papers for the national command principals are generally lacking it is easy to slip into operational summaries and not detail the strategic management of ways and means which brought armies into the field. There is a regretable void here. There is also the problem of the status of the General in Chief. The office was created at the end of the War of 1812 and codified by John C Calhoun afterwards. But the position never had authority in law, or a clear military charter. The President of the United States was the Commander, and the division of labor between the Secretary of War and the General of the Army was not defined. Halleck is criticized for not taking the opportunity of the situation and asserting more control than he was authorized. But Halleck was a lawyer among Capitol Hill lawyers. The relations between these movers and shakers could be Byzantine. When Grant was elevated the decision was made to give him a new title, General of the Armies. For Grant it was made clear that he had full authority to command, and was fully expected to command, the armies in the field. A different kettle of fish from that which Halleck got thrown in. At any rate; this is a much needed and revealing biography of an important and neglected senior leader of the Union war effort.

An interesting biography

Marszalek has written an interesting biography about General Halleck and his failed leadership within the Union High Command. According to Marszalek, Halleck was severely handicapped by a hostile relationship with his father that later influenced his relations with subordinates. Marszalek believes that Halleck was unable to preasure McClellan,Buell, and Meade because they symbolized in Halleck's mind his own intimidating father. However, Halleck often acted like his father in relationships with Grant and Hooker by chatising them for their supposed sloppy behavior. The main weakness of the book is that Marszalek fails to account how institutional defects such as a lack of any post-graduate officer training that made Halleck, Buell, and McClellan share similar traits.Nevertheles this is an interesting account of how Halleck commanded the Union armies from 1862 to 1864.