George Mears

George Washington Mears (January 3, 1843-November 24, 1921) was a soldier from Pennsylvania who fought in the American Civil War. He received the United States' highest medal for bravery during combat, the Medal of Honor, for his actions during the Battle of Gettysburg 2 July 1863. He was issued the medal on 16 February 1897.

Biography
Mears was born to Alex and Phoebe Mears January 3, 1843 in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania. He has one half sibling, Clinton Neal Ohl, who was born Debruary 2, 1860 to his mother Phoebe Mears Ohl and her new husband Henry. When the American Civil War broke out, he enlisted into Company A, 6th Pennsylvania Reserves (also known as the 35th Pennsylvania Infantry) at Bloomsburgh, Pennsyvania.

On the second day of fighting in the Battle of Gettysburg Union forces had been forced to fall back due to the superior numbers of the opposing Confederate force. Mears and his unit had only recently reached the Gettysburg area when a rider approached and called for all soldiers to get to the Union lines to help repel the Confederates. As more Union troops arrived the battle started to shift. In an area known as Devil's Den, Mears saw several men fall and noticed puffs of smoke coming from a cabin not far away where a group of snipers had taken up position. He went to Captain William Dixon, gave Mears approval to take a group of volunteer and attempt to clear the cabin.

Along with J. Levi Roush, John W. Hart, Wallace W. Johnson, Chester S. Furman and Thaddeus S. Smith volunteered to attack a small log cabin being held by Confederate forces. Although they attempted to approach the cabin by stealth, they were spotted and began taking fire from the enemy force locked inside. Johnson and the other men rushed through the enemy fire and forced their way into the cabin. Before they could start shooting the confederate soldiers surrendered and were taken back to Union lines as prisoners. For thier actions during this incident, all six men received the Medal of Honor.

Mears was mustered out of the military June 11, 1864 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and was issued the Medal of Honor on 16 February 1897. After the war Mears returned to Pennsylvania where he met and married his wife, Mary Appleman Mears. Together they had 7 children, six boys named Wellington E., Elmer Appleton, Howard Reber, Ulysses Grant, George Washington and Mathias Kinney and one daugher named Ottilie. Mears died November 24, 1921 in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania. He is buried in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania in Old Rosemont Cemetery. When his wife Mary died in 1849, she was buried with him.