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Granville Haller: Leader

by Martin N. Chamberlain

313 pages; quality trade paperback (softcover); catalogue #05-1525; ISBN 1-4120-6614-x; US$26.95, C$30.99, EUR22.14, £15.50

Haller's activities in the US Army and later as an entrepreneur took him to many developing areas. His story gives us insight on American life of the 19th century.

About the Book

Granville Haller: Leader, was an above ordinary person whose activities and interests led him into history making and history changing situations, providing a good rationale for the re-telling of his life. Fortunately diaries he kept throughout it enable us to authentically recreate his story. He, early on, showed a kind of spunk, often a part of his makeup, when he traveled from his York, PA home to Washington, DC and faced off with the Secretary of War. This worthy had reneged on a promise to get him an appointment to West Point, but this confrontation led to an examination and a commission in the US Army.

The Army then was small enough that Haller was able to get to know well and serve with many of the officers who led the campaigns in the forthcoming Mexican and Civil Wars. Haller had significant roles in both. His involvement in the early stages of the Gettysburg battle may have changed the course of the war. Despite his heroic conduct and the respect of his fellow officers and troops he shortly thereafter was forced out of the army without a trial or chance to defend his record.

This situation — suddenly being without Army employment, the only work he had known, led him back to the west coast to a farm he had previously acquired, to become a farmer. This was located on Whidbey Island in Puget Sound at a time when (1864) that area was just coming into being. Seattle, for example, had only existed for twelve years. Haller soon found farming was not to his liking so he opened, with the help of San Francisco enterprises, a store, first at Port Townsend and later at Coupeville. These activities thrived. He began acquiring extensive properties and lumber interests.

Throughout this period Haller kept steadily at the attempt to get a trial. Finally this happened and he was reinstated in the Army with the rank of Colonel. He was given a regiment, went east with his growing family to command it but retirement soon had him back to his life as a successful business man, settling this time in Seattle. He remained there the rest of his life, enjoying his status as a respected pioneer, reflecting satisfactorily on his involvement in several Indian Wars as well as the major wars of his time.

About the Author

The author, now retired, is the great grandson of Granville Haller, grew up in Seattle; graduated with degrees from the Universities of Washington and Chicago, worked for many years at the Universities of Washington and California; lives near Oak Harbor, WA on Puget Sound.

Excerpts