Charles E. Gall
Agency patch
Officer

Charles E. Gall

Hagerstown Police Department — Hagerstown, MD
Veteran → Felonious
End of Watch October 20, 1866
Age 24
The Vigil Panel 3 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Charlie Gall was shot and killed during a period of political unrest. There had been several violent political clashes as a result of President Johnson's post-Civil War Reconstruction policies. Officer Gall and two other officers responded to a fight at the Stanhope Hotel on West Washington Street. As they attempted to quell the disturbance the large crowd turned on the officers and started accusing them of being "rebels." The mob started throwing stones at the officers as they chased them two blocks through town. The officers sought refuge in a house near the intersection of North Jonathan Street and Church Street. The mob swelled to almost 2,000 people as the officers attempted to defend themselves. Some members of the crowd fired several shots at the house, one of which struck Officer Gall in the head. The mob then stormed the house and stabbed one of the other officers while the rest of the occupants of the home escaped out of the back. The officer who was stabbed eventually recovered from his wounds. Officer Gall was a Union Army veteran of the Civil War.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-MD-B5478C17
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Officer Gall served with the Hagerstown Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Hagerstown community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Hagerstown, Washington County, MD
Platform Identity hpd.washington.md.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 20, 1866
Age 24
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

Military Service

Charles E. Gall served in the U.S. Army before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Officer Charles E. Gall is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,759 officers honored here.

In MD, 195 of 377 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 51.7% of this state's fallen. That is 51.7 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Hagerstown Police Department, 4 of 6 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 66.7% of this agency's fallen.

Hagerstown Police Department
4
of 6 officers
66.7% Felonious
MD — Statewide
195
of 377 officers
51.7% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,759 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Charles E. Gall's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How Charles E. Gall Compares

Age at Death
24
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Charles E. Gall is highlighted in Oct.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,516
May
1,504
Jun
1,442
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,517
Sep
1,491
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Charles E. Gall was killed by gun.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909

Incident Location

Military Service

Charles E. Gall served in the U.S. Army before joining law enforcement.

Visit Charles E. Gall’s page on salute.nw →

His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.