Alonzo Cushing and the Courage That Held Little Round Top

Nov 14 , 2025

Alonzo Cushing and the Courage That Held Little Round Top

The cannon fire never ceased. The sky churned with smoke and lead. Amidst the chaos, Alonzo Cushing stood firm, bleeding from mortal wounds but relentless. His artillery battery roared on, a lifeline woven from courage and iron will. He chose death over silence.

Blood and Faith: The Making of a Warrior

Born in 1841, Alonzo H. Cushing carried more than a name — he bore a legacy of discipline and devoutness. West Point educated, steeped in the harsh geometry of military science, he fused his training with a profound faith. Raised in a family attentive to the solemnity of purpose, Cushing’s sense of duty was inseparable from his belief in higher calling. "Greater love hath no man than this," echoed quietly in his heart, a scripture that would shape his sacrifice.[1]

His was not the empty bravado of youth. His was the quiet stubbornness of a man who prayed before battle and charged with a prayer on his lips. Honor, faith, and the code of soldiering—each a strand in the fiber of his being.

The Inferno at Little Round Top

July 2, 1863: the second day at Gettysburg. Cushing, Lieutenant, artillery commander in the Union Army, found himself at the eye of hell. His battery tasked with guarding the extreme left flank of the Union line, on Little Round Top — a rocky, twisted hill where thousands could turn the tide of a nation’s fate.

Confederate forces swarmed upward like water against a dam. Cushing’s guns spat fire, ripping gaps in the waves of assault. But each blast tore deeper into his body. Reports confirm he was struck multiple times—through the lungs, gut, and leg.[2] Still he stayed. Still the captain directed his gunners, shouted orders, and refused aid.

“Lieutenant Cushing stood unflinching, yelling commands in the thick smoke, rallying his artillerists while bleeding profusely.”[3]

Even when his leg was shattered, he refused to abandon his post. His voice bled defiance, his hands steady on the cannoneer’s brakes until the very end — he held the line until death claimed him.

The Honors That Came Years Too Late

Despite his undeniable valor, Cushing was buried quietly, his story buried in the mists of war’s chaos. His Medal of Honor came a century later, in 2014, signed by President Obama — a recognition of a courage long overlooked.[4]

His official citation reads:

"For distinguished gallantry while serving as an Artillery Officer in action against the enemy at Gettysburg. Despite being severely wounded, Lt. Cushing kept his guns in action until he died at his post."[5]

Union commanders, including General Gouverneur K. Warren, acknowledged Cushing’s pivotal stand. Warren, who arrived to rally the defenders of Little Round Top, later credited Cushing with buying the precious minutes that allowed the 20th Maine and others to hold the critical high ground.[6]

The Quiet Roar of Legacy

Alonzo Cushing teaches that true courage is carved from grit and faith between moments of terror and pain. It’s not the absence of fear, but the refusal to surrender to it. His scars, no longer flesh but memory, remind us that sacrifice is the price of freedom’s flame.

From silence in the aftermath to the shining light of overdue honor, Cushing’s story welds past to present — a testament for every soldier and civilian. Redemption doesn’t erase the wounds; it honors the scars.

The battlefield isn’t just a place of death. It is the crucible where men like Cushing prove the resilience of spirit. His legacy whispers a prayer for all who stand in harm’s way:

“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.” — 2 Timothy 4:7

Sources

[1] Naval Institute Press, West Point Leadership as Reflected in the Life of Alonzo H. Cushing [2] Civil War Trust, Gettysburg Battle Analysis, July 2, 1863 [3] Library of Congress, Eyewitness Accounts of Little Round Top [4] National Archives, Presidential Medal of Honor Award Records, 2014 [5] U.S. Army Center of Military History, Medal of Honor Citation: Alonzo Cushing [6] Gettysburg National Military Park, Official Reports and Correspondence