Union General Henry Halleck
Readers of Southern newspapers this week learn of a seemingly harsh letter written by Union General Henry Halleck regarding the families of Confederate soldiers in the General’s jurisdiction West of the Mississippi and Ohio rivers.
In some of these western states, such as Missouri, many men are fighting for the Confederacy, although the remaining Confederates in Missouri by now are often independent fighters rather than formally serving in the Confederate Army.
Confederate General Sterling Price and his army have recently been pushed out of Missouri and across the Mississippi River into Mississippi. Halleck’s job at present is to tamp down rebel sentiment, root out rebel guerrillas, and maintain control of Missouri, Arkansas, Ohio and Kansas. Halleck is quite serious about fulfilling his duties.
Halleck, currently recognized as one the most capable and successful generals in the United States Army, is an efficient administration. But to Southerners, he comes across as lacking compassion, as the following letter regarding the family of a Baptist preacher reveals:
In regard to the wife of the Reverend Captain, Chaplain in [Confederate] General Price’s army, who wishes to visit her husband, please inform her that no such permission can be granted. Nearly all the secessionists of this State who have entered the rebel service, have left their wives and daughters to the care of the Federal troops. There is scarcely a single instance where this confidence has been abused by us. But what return have these ladies made for this protection? In many cases they have acted as spies and informers for the enemy, and have been most loud mouthed in the abuse of our cause, and most insulting in their conduct towards those who support it! Under any other government they would, for such conduct, be expelled from the country or confined in the walls of a prison….
Indeed, I find that the very persons who advocate a more lenient policy toward returned secessionists are also continually petitioning to have additional troops sent to their counties, to protect them from the operations of these same rebels.
Very respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
H. W. Halleck, Maj. Gen.
Sources: General Halleck’s letter, as published in the Nashville Daily Union, April 19, 1862 (link); Henry Halleck biography and image (link); Sterling Price (link)
