Voting Station

Henry Halleck

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Military Personnel

The Resume

    (January 16, 1815-January 9, 1872)
    Born in Westernville, New York
    Union General during the Civil War
    Commanded the Department of Missouri (1861-62) and the Department of the Mississippi (1862)
    General-in-Chief of all Union armies (1862-64)
    Chief of Staff to Ulysses S. Grant (1864-65)

Why he might be annoying:

    He had an abrasive personality that alienated subordinates.
    He tended to deflect blame for military failures that occurred under his command.
    One historian wrote, 'Overall, he generated no love, confidence, or respect.'
    He was much better as a bureaucrat than as a strategist or a field commander.
    Lincoln, disappointed at his lack of aggressiveness, said he was 'little more than a first-rate clerk.'

Why he might not be annoying:

    He was allowed to teach classes at West Point while still a cadet.
    While in California with the Army during the Mexican-American War, he became the principal author of the state's constitution.
    As General-in-Chief, he was hampered by micromanaging by Lincoln and Secretary of War Edwin Stanton.
    When he was named Grant's chief of staff, his administrative talents complemented Grant's aggressiveness, and the two worked well together.
    He kept Grant's army properly supplied, equipped and reinforced as it ground down the Confederates.

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 2 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 2 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 9 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 3 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 14 Votes: 42.86% Annoying