Charles Shaler was born at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, May 23, 1843. He graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1867. He married Florence Stidham, April 27, 1896.
He enlisted as a Sergeant, Company I, 12th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, April 25, 1861 was was discharged August 5, 1861. Cadet, United States Military Academy, 1863-67. Commissioned a Second Lieutenant, 5th United States Artillery, June 1867. He transferred to the Ordnance Department, July 5, 1867. Promoted to First Lieutenant, June 23, 1874, to Captain March 4, 1879, to Major, February 22, 1897, to Lieutenant Colonel, February 18, 1903, to Colonel, September 17, 1904, and to Brigadier genreal and retired at his own request after 40 years of sservice, January 19, 1905.
He was an Episcopalian and made his home at Indianapolis, Indiana where he died on March 26, 1915 He was buried with full military honors in Section 1 of Arlington National Cemetery.
His wife, Florence Stidham Shaler (1872-1918) is buried with him as are:
Dorothy Williams Shaler, the wife of Harrison Shaler. 1899-1978.
Harrison Shaler, Brigadier General, United States Army, and the son of Charles Shaler, was born in February 1898. He graduated from the United States Military Acdemy in 1918. He served in both World War I and World War II and was a recipient of the Legion of Merit. He retired in 1954. He died on November 18, 1976. His name is on a footstone in his father’s gravesite.
GENERAL CHARLES SHALER DEAD
Retired Veteran of Forty years’ Service a Victim of Apoplexy
INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana, March 26, 1915 – Brigadier General Charles Shaler, U.S.A., retired, died at his home here today, in his seventy-second year. He suffered a stroke of apoplexy early this morning while walking down town and died without recovering consciousness.
General Shaler enlisted in the Army in 1861 and was appointed to the Military Academy in 1863, from which he graduated in 1867. He was then commissioned a Second Lieutenant of the Fifth Artillery, being transferred to the Ordnance Department and made a First Lieutenant in 1874. General Shaler was advanced through the grades until he was retired as a Brigadier General in 1905, after forty years service, at his own request.
He was a member of the University and Army and Navy Clubs of New York, the Army and Navy of Washington, the Sportsmen’s of Pittsburgh and the City, Columbia and University Clubs of Minneapolis.
SHALER, CHARLES
BRIG/GEN USA RETD
VETERAN SERVICE DATES: Unknown
DATE OF DEATH: 03/26/1915
DATE OF INTERMENT: Unknown
BURIED AT: SECTION WD SITE 393
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
SHALER, FLORENCE S W/O CHARLES
DATE OF DEATH: 10/09/1918
DATE OF INTERMENT: Unknown
BURIED AT: SECTION W LOO SITE 393
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
WIFE OF CHARLES SHALER, GEN SAW
Michael Robert Patterson was born in Arlington and is the son of a former officer of the US Army. So it was no wonder that sooner or later his interests drew him to American history and especially to American military history. Many of his articles can be found on renowned portals like the New York Times, Washingtonpost or Wikipedia.
Reviewed by: Michael Howard