Capt. Owen Hale was born on 23. Jul. 1843. He was the son of
Zenas Hammer Perley Hale and
Maria Van Voorhis.

Capt. Owen Hale served in the 7th U. S. Cavalry. He died on 30. Sep. 1877 at Bear Paws Mountains, Montana, at age 34. He was buried at Custer National Battlefield Cemetery, Montana.
Owen "Haled" from Troy, NY. Born 23 July 1843. Enlisted in First NY Mounted Rifles in Oct. 1861, and quickly rose to Sgt. Major in only six months before being mustered out. Re-enrolled in the same regiment (as a private) in Aug. 1862; appointed Sgt. Major, 7th NY Cavalry, Apr. 1863. Accepted commission as Second Lt. a month later. Saw action in various engagements in the Virginia theater; brevetted as Captain, USV.
While living in Denver Hale accepted appointment as First Lt. Seventh Cavalry at formation of regiment. Brevetted Capt. and Major, USA 17 Jan 1869 Served in Washita campaign. It was Hale to whom Maj. Elliott reportedly remarked: "Here goes for a brevet or a coffin" before pursuing a band of fleeing Indians which ended in Elliott's death. Hale accompanied Custer and Sheridan in locating the corpses of Elliott's detachment.
Brevetted Capt. and Major, USA, 17 Jan 1869; appointed Capt. 7th Cav. 1 Mar 1869. Participated in Yellowstone Expedition 1873. On detached service, recruiting and not with regiment at LBH. Served in Nez Perce War where he was KIA at Snake Creek, MT 30 Sept. 1877.
Info from Ken Hammer's _Men With Custer_ p. 142.
As for the nickname "Holy" Owen; I am not sure. Hammer mentions he never married. A footnote in Greene's _Nez Perce Summer_ mentions something about Hale, after predicting his death, asking another officer to return a charm that a lady had given him. Greene states the death prediction did not occur. At any rate Hale did indeed die that day.
Perhaps Hale was rather of high moral fiber; don't know whether he drank or not. Another guess: could it be he was a virgin?
That morning Hale made the prophetic remark to the effect of "have I got to be killed on such a cold day" H.