George Mears

George Mears (January 3, 1843 – November 24, 1921) was an American soldier who fought with the Union Army in the American Civil War. Mears received his country's highest award for bravery during combat, the Medal of Honor, for actions taken on July 2, 1863, during the Battle of Gettysburg.

Civil War service At the onset of the American Civil War, Mears enlisted into Company A of the 6th Pennsylvania Reserve Regiment out of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. This regiment was also known as the 35th Pennsylvania Infantry.

On the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg, Union forces had been forced to fall back due to the superior numbers of the opposing Confederate force. As more Union troops arrived to fight however the battle started to shift.

Medal of Honor citation

Personal life Following the war, Mears married Mary Appleman with whom he had seven children.

Mears was the first Morse code telegraph operator in Central Pennsylvania, and for fifty years was an employee of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad.