Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1872-01-19
General Halleck.

THE morning telegraph brings intelll-
gence that Maior-General Henry Wager
Halleck died on Sunday evening at his
residence in Louisville, Kentucky, of con-
gestion of the brain.
General Halleck was yet in the prime of
life, having been born in Oneida Cosnty,
New York, in 1919 His family were
well-to-do, and after excellent prepara-
tory training he entered West Point,
where he distinguished himself by his
natural aptitude and habit of persevering
application He graduated in 1899, third
in a class of thirty one, and was appoint
ed Second Lieutenant of Engineers His
taste for natural science and mechanics
led his mind much in those directions,
and for a year or more he was Professor
of Engineering, preparing at the same
time a volume on BittmeB and It's Uses,
published in 1s41, and following it with
another on Elements Of Military AIf dnd
Science, published in 1916. The previous
wear he had been made First Lieutenant,
/ was sent to the Far West with Kearney.
Here he earned his Captaincy in 1S47, by
meritorious conduct; and for two years
was Secretary of the military governments
/ of Kearney Mason, and Riley. He
was one of the trainers of the first
1 Constitution of California; and re-
/ signed his commission as Cap
tain of Engineers in 1854 to practice law
/ in San Francisco. His success was rapid
and profitable, and he ranked among the
foremost of the profession when he
abandoned it in 1861 to accept the com
mission of Maior-General of the regular
army. President Lincoln assigned him at
once,to the regular command of the De-
partment of the West, with headquarters
at st. Louis.
He arrived in st. Louis on the 18th of
November, superseding Gen. Hunter, who
was dd interim in command from the time
of Gen. Fremont's removal. The rebel
General Price had been following up the
retiring Union army and contemplated
establishing himself in Kansas, with a
view to cut off communication between
St. Louis and the Southwest, and, gradu-
ally moving northward, to obtain control
of Missouri, thus delivering to the Con
federacy not only that wealthy and loyal
State, but also Kansas and the Territories
in the Southwest. Halleck had u tortuous
problem before him, owing to the mex
perience of his predecessors and the dash
and ability of his rebel opponent. After
weeks study, he resolved upon his plan;
and by the 25th of December, he present
ed President Lincoln with the spectacle
of Price in full retreat down Arkansas,
the Union forces making a clean sweep of
the country between the Usage and Mis-
souri, rivers. In two weeks Halleck had
captured $500 prisoners, including 75
commissioned officers, 1900 stands OF
arms, and an immense quantity of powder,
stores, and camp equipage.
One of General Halleck's orders issued
at this time, which occasiOned considera-
bic discussion, was his forbidding fugi-
tive slaves from entering Union camp
lines. This he was compelled to
do after important information concern
ing the strength and condition OF the
Union troops had been eXtOrted from cap
tured negroes by the rebels. Another of
his radical commands was imposing the
death penalty on persons who injured
railroads or telegraphs, and compelling
counties to pay damages He also placed
the entire railroad system of the State
under martial law, and so managed his
department that in brief period all the
! abuses previously existing had been re.
moved and military affairs in Missouri
were conducted with unexampled vigor.
I Space will not permit the details of his
; services throughout the rebellion, nor
more than the mention OF his business
precision while Secretary OF War dd IN
I terini, when the conflict had ceased. In
/. all his relations, civil and military, his
= character displayed straightforwardness
: felt as severely by rebel foe, as it was val
! ! liable to the nation and admirable in pri-
: vate life. His personal habits were sim
y pie and his tastes philosophical. In later
years he has preferred the society of his
! books and intimate friends and family,
to the excitement of public affairs; and
his death, which takes away another OF
h the men TO whom the nation owes its per
h petuity, leaves TO the world another name
!, | to ha remamh hered and another model Ia
be followed, Chicago Post,