CHARLES HALLER
Pleasanton Observer-Enterprise, Thursday, July 31, 1913
Charles Haller.
Charles Haller was born in Frederick county, Maryland, January 14th, 1827 and died June 25th, 1913 aged 86 years, 5 months and 11 days. Mary Haller, his wife, O. H. Haller, his son and seven grand children survive him and a host of friends who mourn with the bereaved family.
Charles Haller, (better known as Uncle Charlie), resided just south of the corporate limits of Prescott. He was an old and respected citizen of Sheridan township, Linn county, Kansas, being the son of Jacob and Catherine (Bolenger) Haller. His father, who was a native of Bavaria, Germany, who was a native of Bavaria, Germany, was a soldier under Napoleon Bonaparte. After his marriage he emigrated to the United States and settled in the state of Maryland. There wee seven children born in the Haller family, three boys and four girls. Charles was the fourth child and spent his youthful days in his native country and stated where he attained his majority. In boyhood he attended the common schools and later was employed on a farm. He removed to Ohio at the age of twenty one. Our subject sojourned for a time in Montgomery county and worked on a farm near Dayton, Ohio. On the 15th of April, 1857 he removed to Cooper county, Mo., and in June following he came to Kansas and settled on an Indian claim in bourbon county. In the fall of 1857 he purchased the claim and made it his home until September 1861 when he enlisted as a member of company G, Seventh Kansas Cavalry. The regiment was mustered into service on the 1st of September at Leavenworth, Kansas, and after receiving instructions went to Kansas City and later operated in Mo. until February 1862. From that month until April of the same year they remained at the headquarters at Humboldt, Kansas. From Humboldt the regiment was ordered to Lawrence thence to Fort Riley and from there to St. Louis and Columbus, Ky., reaching the latter place on the second of June 1862. They were next ordered to Union City then to Corinth, Miss., where they participated in the second battle of Corinth under Gen. Rosecrans. Later under Gen. Grant he took part in the Advance on Vicksburg. Mr. Haller was at Water Valley and fought at the engagement on the Yellow Bushey, when the enemy from the rear captured Holly Springs, he with his regiment marching to that place, arriving the day after the battle. They followed the rebel forces to Boliver, Tenn., and by riding all night succeeded in getting ahead of the enemy. In the morning the pickets were attacked, lines formed and with sixteen hundred cavalry Van Dorn was routed and pursued into Miss Once more they went to Holly Springs and from there marched to Summerville looking after Col. Faulkner.
After passing the winter in Germantown the regiment proceeded to Tuscumbia, Ala. On the Dodge expedition and after a brief engagement with the enemy fell back to Tuscumbia, then to Town Creek where a fight took place while scouting for Gen. Dodge several skirmishes ensued. From Corinth they marched to Barnesville, whence one thousand of the best mounted men rode to Tupelo, where a battle took place. The company of which Uncle Charlie was a member was dismounted. They charged on the enemy, scattering the enemy forces and capturing a number of the enemy. In July 1864 he took part in the battle under A. J. Smith at Tupelo. At the time of the assassination of president Lincoln, our subject was stationed at Pilot Knob and later was ordered to southern Mo. In July 1865 he went to Cape Girardean, Mo., from there by boat to Omaha, Neb., next to Ft. Kerney, and from there back to Leavenworth, Kansas. At the expiration of hostilities he was discharged December 29th 1865. During the period of his active service he had several horses shot from under him and frequently his clothes were pierced by bullets, but he fortunately escaped uninjured and was always ready for duty with the exception of eight days spent in a hospital. During the latter months of his services he was Commissary Sergeant, returning to Linn county Mr. Haller resumed farming operations.
Prior to coming to Kansas he had through economy saved $600 but in 1858 he unfortunately lost all by fire. Undaunted by this catastrophe he commenced once more to build up his fortune and his efforts proved successful.
In politics Mr. Haller was a Republican from first to last. He never was an officer seeker but made good when elected to office. We are informed that at one time he belonged to the Reformed church but for a number of years made no profession and we failed to learn of his connection with any secret order but was always ready with a helping hand to assist any needy person or order.