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Halleck (HENRY WAGER an American)

HENRY WAGER, an American military officer; born in Westernville, N. Y., Jan. 16, 1815. He was graduated at the United States Military Academy in 1839. During the Mexican War he was employed in the operations on the Pacific coast, and for services was HALLEY 451 HALLIWELL-PHILLIPPS breveted captain in 1847. He took a leading part in organizing the State of California, became captain of engineers in 1853, left the service in 1854, and for some time practiced law in San Francisco. On the outbreak of the Civil War he reentered the army, and in November, 1861, was appointed Commander of the Department of the Missouri, which in a few weeks he reduced to order. In March, 1862, the Confederate first line had been carried from end to end, and Halleck's command was extended so as to embrace, under the name of the Department of the Mississippi, the vast stretch of territory between the Rocky Mountains and the Alleghenies. His services in the field ended with the capture of ture of Corinth, with its 15 miles of in- May, 1862. In July he became General-in- Chief of the armies of the United States; and henceforth he directed from Washington the movements of the generals in the field, till, in March, 1864, he was superseded by General Grant. Halleck was chief of staff till 1865, commanded the Military Division of the Pacific till 1869, and that of the South till his death, Jan. 9, 1872.

His "Elements of Military Art and Science" (1846; Science" (1846; new edition 1861) was the Civil War; and he also published books on mining laws, etc.