The Leaders of Command for the Modern War in 1864

Lincoln introduced the modern system of command for the modern war in 1864. He detailed three top positions that would affect how the war and the country was to be led. These positions were the commander in chief, the general in chief and the chief of staff. Being the president, it was only obvious that Lincoln would be the commander in chief of the armed forces. Ulysses S. Grant was picked as the general in chief. On the other hand, Henry Halleck was the first chief of staff.

Lincoln had not embraced this type of command because there was no clear distinction between the jobs and tasks of the three positions. However, upon the detailing of the positions, Lincoln embraced the position and took the time to pick up the best candidates to take the positions. Grant had been the main man in many of the battles that were held against the Confederation. This might be the reason why he was put in charge of the army. He was not only an experienced soldier, but he was also a very good strategist. On the other hand, Halleck was the best candidate for chief of staff due to his mastery of military strategy and his skills as a lawyer.

It can be argued that Henry Halleck was the unsung hero. Halleck was referred to as “Old Brains” due to his high level of education. However, people associated him with books, but no one ever associated him with strategies. He was very prominent as Lincoln’s advisor. Being a lawyer, Lincoln relied on him to ensure that all his dealings were legally right.