Charles was born on the 22nd of February 1875, in Cecil County, Maryland. Like many other recipients from this time period, not much is known about his life other than his time in the US Army. He enlisted prior to the Spanish-American War and when the Philippine-Insurrection began, he was a Private with Company I of the 22nd US Infantry. His actions on the 19th of October as one of twelve scouts that charged an enemy held bridge would later earn him the Medal of Honor. The citation reads:

Held a bridge against a superior force of the enemy and fought, though severely wounded, until the main body came up to cross.

Charles and the other eleven scouts charged the other end of the bridge through heavy enemy fire and managed to hold the bridge against an estimated 200 enemy troops. He had been wounded during the charge but refused to be taken to the rear and remained in the fight. Charles received the Medal of Honor on the 10th of March 1902 and stayed in the Army, reaching the rank of Lieutenant. Charles Henry Pierce died on the 2nd of March 1944, at the age of 69 and I found no record of a wife or children. He is buried in the Valhalla Memorial Park in North Hollywood, California: Lot 5, Section 6303, Block G, Curb 6297.