Civil War Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient, Union Brigadier General. At the start of the Civil War, he was appointed Lieutenant Colonel of the 65th New York Volunteers in June, 1861 and became Colonel in July, 1862. At the Battle of Fredericksburg, Virginia, on May 3, 1863, in a most critical moment during the attack, the head of the Union charging column was about to be over taken by the severe fire of the enemy's artillery and infantry. At this moment Colonel Shaler pushed forward with a supporting column, into the Confederate lines and turned their flanks back. For gallantry in action, he was promoted Brigadier General on May 26, 1863 and awarded the Medal of Honor on November 25, 1893.