Charles E. Gall

Hagerstown Police Department — Hagerstown, MD

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch October 20, 1866

Age 24

The Vigil Panel 3 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 5

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: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 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

Department Hagerstown Police Department

Location Hagerstown, 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; Unknown type

Offender Not available

Military Service

Charles E. Gall served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Officer Charles E. Gall is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 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 2.5 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

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

of 6 officers

66.7% Felonious

MD — Statewide

195

of 377 officers

51.7% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious