Feb 04 , 2026

Alonzo Cushing and the Gettysburg Stand That Held the Line

Alonzo Cushing stood alone at the crest of Cemetery Ridge—his cannons roaring defiance into a sea of gray, smoke, and death. Blood pumped through gritted teeth. His legs shattered. His arms numb. Yet, he refused to let the guns fall silent.

The enemy surged closer, but his artillery never ceased. Minutes stretched into eternity beneath the thunderous roar of Union and Confederate fire. This was no ordinary stand. This was a testament forged in mortal agony.

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The Bloodline of Duty and Faith

Born in Wisconsin to a family steeped in patriotism and service, Alonzo Cushing carried a soldier’s burden before taking up arms. West Point shaped him—instilling discipline, duty, and an unshakeable belief in cause beyond self.

His faith ran deep, like roots under unyielding soil. Letters reveal a young man wrestling with fate and sacrifice. “The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away,” he wrote. This creed steeled him for what awaited at Gettysburg.

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Holding the Line: The Fury at Gettysburg

July 3, 1863. The third day of the Battle of Gettysburg. Confederate Lieutenant General James Longstreet unleashed a massive assault: Pickett’s Charge. Thousands of men stormed the Union’s front line, cannonballs tearing the earth apart.

Captain Alonzo Cushing commanded Battery A, 4th U.S. Artillery. His position on Cemetery Ridge was pivotal. When Confederate forces closed in, so did the storm inside him—fear met with iron resolve.

Wounds shattered his leg early in the fight. Despite multiple injuries, Cushing ordered his men to keep firing, refusing to be evacuated. Reports say he plastered a makeshift tourniquet and remained near his guns until a fatal shot tore through his chest.

He died standing—guns blazing, a beacon of unyielding courage.

Union officers later described the scene: amidst chaos, Captain Cushing’s battery was their anchor—the break in the line that never came because of his stubborn stand.

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A Medal of Honor 150 Years in the Making

Though actions at Gettysburg were widely acknowledged, Alonzo Cushing’s Medal of Honor was awarded posthumously in 2014—151 years after his death. The citation reflects a legacy long overdue:

“For extraordinary heroism on 3 July 1863, while serving with Battery A, 4th U.S. Artillery, in action at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Captain Cushing, despite multiple wounds, continued to direct his battery against the advancing Confederate forces and maintained the position until he was mortally wounded.”¹

President Barack Obama, presenting the medal, hailed Cushing as "a warrior who held fast so others might live," giving voice to the silent, bloodied sacrifices of countless unsung heroes.

Fellow soldiers recalled him as “the bravest man under fire” in a battle chaos nearly consumed.

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Enduring Lessons: Courage Beyond Glory

Alonzo Cushing’s story isn’t a tale of glory. It’s the raw reality of sacrifice—of pain wrestled with purpose, and the stubborn refusal to yield even when the body fails.

His stand reminds warriors and civilians alike that courage is never absence of fear. It is action in spite of wounds, doubts, and despair.

His faith whispered strength in dark moments. His final breath embodies Psalm 23:4—“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.”

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In Alonzo Cushing’s blood-stained silence, time still listens.

He teaches that true valor endures beyond medals and pages in dusty books. It lives in the fires we face daily, in battles no one sees, and in the quiet prayers whispered beneath the roar.

He gave everything to hold the line.

His legacy demands nothing less from those standing behind him.

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# Sources

¹ U.S. Army Center of Military History, Medal of Honor Recipients: Civil War (A–L) ² “Alonzo Cushing: The Brave Artillery Officer Who Died Holding His Guns at Gettysburg,” Smithsonian Magazine ³ Barack Obama, Medal of Honor Ceremony Remarks, 2014

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