Alonzo Cushing, Gettysburg Hero Awarded the Medal of Honor

Aug 10 , 2026

Alonzo Cushing, Gettysburg Hero Awarded the Medal of Honor

Blood on the Hill. Smoke choking the air. Cannons pounding like the heart of hell itself.

Amid that chaos stood Alonzo Cushing, hand steady on his artillery's wheel, legs shattered but spirit unbroken. No command from the back. No will to quit. Just a man bent on holding the line, turning agony into defiance—until his last breath.

The Boy From Milwaukee Raised by Honor

Born January 25, 1841, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Alonzo Hull Cushing came from a family forged in service and duty. West Point graduated, a captain in the Union Army, steeped in a patriot’s creed and a soldier’s discipline. His faith was quiet but resolute—rooted in an unwavering trust that the fight was for something greater than himself.

“Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4). This was the unspoken armor beneath his uniform. His sense of purpose never wavered, even as battles loomed and blood called from the earth.

The Battle That Defined Him: Gettysburg, July 3, 1863

The third day at Gettysburg—the clamor of Pickett’s Charge was relentless, pounding Cemetery Ridge with waves of Confederate soldiers desperate to break the Union line.

Captain Cushing commanded Battery A, 4th U.S. Artillery. His unit was the thin red line holding the Union center. The Confederate horde swarmed in. Pain sliced through his legs—a gunshot shattered them—but he refused evacuation.

Sitting or standing, it didn’t matter to him. With blood pouring, he shouted orders, directing cannoneers to load and fire. His battery carved deadly gaps in the enemy’s lines, turning the tide when all else teetered. Every cannonade spoke of stubborn will.

Amid exploding shells and charging infantry, Cushing never flinched. Witnesses describe a scene both heroic and desperate. He was shot multiple times, finally succumbing on the field. Yet, his command held where many would break.

Recognition Earned—Late but Not Forgotten

Alonzo Cushing died a hero on that battlefield, but recognition was slow.

Nearly 150 years later, on November 6, 2014, President Barack Obama awarded Cushing the Medal of Honor—the nation’s highest military decoration—for extraordinary valor at Gettysburg¹.

The official citation lauds his "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty." Cushing's sacrifice bought time for Union lines to stabilize—a decisive moment that helped preserve a nation.

Fellow soldiers remembered him as a man who "fought like a lion" and refused to yield despite mortal wounds². His legacy became a beacon for those who serve, a reminder of courage measured not in years but in unyielding conviction.

Lessons Etched in Blood and Sacrifice

Alonzo Cushing’s stand was not just about guns or ground—it was a testament to the human will in the face of death.

His story echoes in every act of valor: the choice to stay when leaving is easier; to fight when retreat tempts; and to carry faith to the final breath. It challenges complacency and dares those who bear the burden of service to consider what legacy they will leave.

“He has delivered my soul from death...” (Psalm 116:8). Cushing’s sacrifice is redemption writ large—proof that amidst war’s hell, grace can prevail.

When the smoke clears, and the dust settles on a field stained with brotherhood and blood, the names etched in the earth call us back to purpose. Alonzo Cushing is one of those names. He reminds us that the measure of a man isn’t in how he starts the fight, but in how he finishes it—steadfast, honorable, and unbroken.

May his story keep our hearts fierce, our spirits humble, and our hands ready to bear the weight of sacrifice.

Sources

1. Naval History and Heritage Command, Medal of Honor Citation for Alonzo Cushing. 2. Sears, Stephen W. Gettysburg. Mariner Books, 2004. 3. United States Army Center of Military History, Medal of Honor Recipients: Civil War.