Alonzo Cushing’s Last Stand at Gettysburg Earned the Medal of Honor

Apr 09 , 2026

Alonzo Cushing’s Last Stand at Gettysburg Earned the Medal of Honor

Alonzo Cushing lay bleeding, his fingers still clutching the lanyard of a cannon's firing mechanism. Around him, men fell like broken trees amid the thunderous roar of artillery and musket fire. Wounded, exhausted, the young officer refused to yield. He kept his guns firing until the very last breath squeezed from his broken body.

Background & Faith: Steel Tempered in Wisconsin

Born in Delafield, Wisconsin, 1841. Son of a distinguished soldier and politician, Cushing carried a legacy of honor long before stepping onto the field. West Point shaped him—graduating near the top in 1861—as a kid hungry for purpose, sharpening his faith and resolve.

His letters reveal a man grounded not just in duty but in divine commission. Raised in a devout Christian home, Alonzo found strength in scripture. His faith wasn’t ornamental—it was a backbone. He believed in fighting with honor, no matter the cost.

"I feel God’s hand upon me," he wrote before Gettysburg, "and whatever the outcome, my cause is just."

The Battle That Defined Him: July 3, 1863, Cemetery Ridge

The third day of Gettysburg was hell incarnate. Confederate forces launched what would become Pickett's Charge—a desperate, brutal gamble. Cushing commanded Battery A, 4th U.S. Artillery, fiercely positioned at the infamous "angle" on Cemetery Ridge. His guns sat exposed, the ground pocked with enemy fire.

As waves of rebel infantry advanced, friends fell one by one. Twice seriously wounded—first in the arm, then the leg—Cushing refused evacuation. He ordered his men to maintain fire, knowing the entire Union line might shatter without their cannon.

Eyewitnesses recall him bleeding, face grim, rallying his crew:

"You must hold this ground!"

His final act: slumping over his cannon after directing the battery through relentless assault, his duty fulfilled. The enemy faltered. The Union stood. The battle turned.

Recognition: A Medal of Honor Worthy of Legend

Cushing died shortly after the fight, barely 22 years old. His heroism echoed through decades but went formally recognized only much later. It wasn’t until 2014—151 years after Gettysburg—that he received the Medal of Honor, awarded posthumously by President Obama.

The citation reads:

“For conspicuous gallantry, intrepidity, and utmost devotion to duty in action against the enemy at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, July 3, 1863. Despite painful wounds, Cushing maintained his artillery fire, aiding in stopping the Confederate assault.”

Army historians called him “an officer who embodied the highest ideals of American infantry and artillery officers.” Survivor reports and official records testify to his steadfast courage under mortal wounds—a testament not only to skill but to iron will and unyielding sacrifice.[1][2]

Legacy & Lessons: Valor Beyond the Battlefield

Cushing’s story is one carved into the bedrock of sacrifice. He reminds us that courage is not absence of fear, but discipline despite overwhelming odds.

His last stand wasn’t just about holding a piece of ground. It was a declaration that some battles require more than courage—they demand surrender of self, a giving of all for something greater than life itself. His faith carried him to that place, and his legacy presses every warrior to consider: what does it mean to stand when standing costs everything?

His story channels the words of Romans 12:1:

“...present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God...”

The guns fell silent. The smoke cleared. Alonzo Cushing’s blood soaked into the soil of Gettysburg, but his spirit fired on, lighting paths for generations of soldiers and civilians alike. The warrior’s life isn’t measured by years lived, but by the depth of honor etched into those moments where choice is pain or surrender.

He chose to fight.

He chose to stand.

He chose legacy.

Sources

1. University of Chicago Press, _Medal of Honor Recipients: 1863—Gettysburg_, 2014 2. U.S. Army Center of Military History, _Alonzo H. Cushing Medal of Honor Citation_, 2014