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| Henry L.Regar Courtesy of John Regar |
When Henry L. Regar died at the age of 86 in 1912 in his hometown of Connellsville, Fayette County, it marked the end of an era. Regar was the last surviving Pennsylvanian who had served in both the Mexican War and the Civil War. A drummer boy during the Mexican War, he rejoined the 85th Pennsylvania during the Civil War and became the drum major of the regimental band.
A 1903 profile stated, "It takes quite an effort to imagine that the quiet, peaceful tailor who cuts and rips and sews in Mace & Co.'s department store helped charge the City of Mexico with the gallant Eleventh infantry and fought with McClellan at Coal [sic] Harbor and Malvern Hill." [Weekly Courier, Connellsville, PA, 2-13-1903]
The article exaggerated on a few points. General George B. McClellan was not at "Cold" Harbor, and either was Regar and the rest of the 85th Pennsylvania for that matter. Nonetheless, the point was that a resident of Connellsville at that time would not have assumed that the soft-spoken Regar was a veteran of two wars.
He enlisted into Company H of the 85th Pennsylvania as a musician in 1861. Regar was 35 years of age but felt the desire to serve his country once again. Near the end of 1862, he was promoted to one of two principal musicians in the regimental band along with Samuel Woods of Company C.
After the Civil War, besides working as a tailor, Regar worked in the theatrical business for twenty years. He is buried in the Hill Grove Cemetery in Connellsville, Fayette County.
Regar was born in 1826 in Connellsville to parents Solomon and Rebecca Vance Regar [the name has also been variously spelled, Reger, Reager, Regour and Reggar] Henry was about 20 years of age when he left Fayette County to join the 11th United States Infantry regiment during the Mexican War.
A newspaper account from the 20th century stated that Regar tried to enlist into a Connellsville regiment but was turned down as being too young at age 14. [Again this appears to be an exaggeration. Interestingly, the same article states that Regar was 87 at the time of this profile (1912), making his birth year around 1826. If he had tried to enlist at age 14, he would have been born around 1832]. The article goes on to state that Regar then went to Pittsburgh and successfully joined the 11th U.S. Volunteers. [Daily Courier, 2-26-1912]
The 11th infantry was under the command of Colonel Albert C. Ramsey in the brigade of Brigadier General George Cadwalader and included future Civil War officers William Taliaferro and John Gregg. Taliaferro, from Virginia, became a Confederate general in the Civil War. Gregg earned the rank of brevet general for the Union in the cavalry by the end of the Civil War. Most of the men in the regiment were from Pennsylvania; some came from Virginia and Delaware.
The 11th participated in the battles of Cerro Gordo, Chapultapec and Mexico City. Regar remembered,
“I served throughout the war in Company K, Eleventh United States Infantry. The Eleventh Regulars lost over two-thirds of its members in the battles in and around the City of Mexico…The bloody climax…came when the regiment entered the city, crowding the aqueduct and battering down the heavy gates of the city. Once inside, the fighting coursed up the plaza…fighting their way from square to square and from street to street…Of the 800 men which started in the campaign with the regiment, only 200 were left. My regiment followed the defeated and retreating Mexican Army, after the battle and capture of the City of Mexico, over the mountains and into the Valley of Lerna.” [Weekly Courier, 2-12-1903]
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| Thomas Knox, Decisive Battles Since Waterloo, 1887 |
"The 11th was ordered to charge the battery....The 11th had to charge over the same ground where fell so many of our gallant troops....They advanced steadily, but now the enemy is vomiting his grapeshot and canister upon them, and they leave a train of dead and dying. Do they falter? No -- their gallant commander is waving his sword, and they are now rushing forward at a full run...Did you hear that shout? Comes it from the Mexican ranks? No! That is true Pennsylvania shout,and tells of danger defied, and glory to be won. Here they go, onward, up to the enemy's guns. Huzza for the old Keystone! The Mexicans are giving way before our gallant little band..." [Public Ledger, Philadelphia, 11-8-1847]
In the Civil War, Regar stayed with his regiment for three years until his enlistment expired.
“I entered the service as a private. I was afterward promoted to Corporal, and later, after the battle of Fair Oaks [Seven Pines], was made Drum Major for bravery in action. This position, although on the non-commissioned staff, I did not like. I accepted it at the suggestion of the Colonel [Joshua B. Howell], who promised me a commission, but the commission never came my way.” [Weekly Courier, 2-13-1903]
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| LOC |
In 1906, during the centennial celebration for the town of Connellsville, double-war veteran Regar was an honored guest who was part of an automobile parade through the city streets. [Daily Courier, 11-17-1952]
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| Decorated Street of Connellsville for 1906 Parade Centennial History of the Borough of Connellsville, Pennsylvania 1806-1906 |
Regar's obituary in 1912 mentioned that he "was an entertaining conversationalist and had a host of friends in and around Connellsville." He was married to his wife, Rebecca Robbins Regar, for 64 years and was the father of seven children. The story also mentioned that he was wounded during both wars. [Daily Courier, 9-21-1912]
In a 1903 profile of Regar by a local newspaper, Regar stated, "My opinion of the two wars is that the Mexican was more terrific and successful for it was fought from start to finish without a single drawback of defeat, although at all times were were fighting against long odds. i will say in conclusion, however, that I want to live to see the time when wars are over and when arbitration will settle disputes, for war is of the devil and not of God."
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