Feb 21 , 2026

Alonzo Cushing’s last stand on Cemetery Ridge at Gettysburg

The roar of cannons ripped through the summer air, smoke choking the fields, men screaming into the chaos. Amidst that hell, a young artillery officer gripped the wheels of his gun carriage. A bullet tore through his abdomen. Blood soaked his uniform, but he would not yield. Not today.

Alonzo Cushing, at Gettysburg, held the line while dying.

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The Making of a Soldier and a Man

Born in 1841 to a prominent Wisconsin family, Alonzo Walter Cushing learned early that duty demanded discipline. West Point polished his grit; he graduated in 1861, the war’s first full year. He carried with him a sense of divine responsibility. Fellow cadets noted his quiet faith under pressure, a bedrock in his moral code.

“I will do my duty,” he reportedly said, “even if death is the price.” The weight of honor, for Cushing, was more than tradition. It was a sacred covenant.

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The Maelstrom at Cemetery Ridge

July 3, 1863. The third day of Gettysburg — the war’s brutal crucible.

Lieutenant Cushing commanded a battery of six guns perched on Cemetery Ridge, facing the furious Confederate assault known as Pickett’s Charge. Orders to hold steady echoed over the cacophony. Cannons thundered as thousands of rebels surged forward.

Enemy fire shredded Cushing’s men. He suffered multiple wounds but refused to abandon his post. Ignoring his bleeding body, he repositioned his guns, directed fire into the advancing lines, and rallied his battery again and again.

One account says he told his lieutenant, “If I die here, shoot me, but don’t stop firing the guns.”

At 23 years old, standing against the annihilating storm, his last stand was a testament to relentless courage—pain forgotten, mission paramount. He was struck down, bleeding out amidst the smoky battlefield, but his guns remained manned. The Confederate charge faltered and fell.

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Recognition and Reverence

Alonzo Cushing did not receive the Medal of Honor until 2014 — 151 years after his death. The delay speaks volumes on post-war recognition, but those who study Gettysburg never forget his sacrifice.

His Medal of Honor citation reads:

“Lieutenant Cushing, with a total disregard of the heavy fire directed at his position and after having been severely wounded, continued to encourage his artillerymen and directed the fire of his battery against the advancing Confederates, holding his position until he was mortally wounded.”

General Winfield Scott Hancock, who knew Cushing personally, called him the “bravest man I ever knew.” Hancock’s endorsement carries the unmistakable weight of a battlefield commander.

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The Legacy of Faith, Fire, and Forgiveness

Cushing’s story is not only about valor — it’s about the sacred human cost stitched into every conflict’s fabric.

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” – John 15:13

Alonzo laid down his life on that Pennsylvania ridge, embodying a timeless truth. His courage was born of faith and forged in fire. His sacrifice sealed the hope of a nation fighting its own fractured soul.

His wounds are fingerprints left on America’s conscience. The artillery he directed became a shield for thousands of others. His legacy whispers to every combat veteran who carries scars unseen—there is purpose in pain, and redemption in sacrifice.

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In a world quick to forget, Cushing commands remembrance. He stands not only as a soldier but as a testament that some battles demand everything.

He bled for more than ground; he bled for the enduring liberty of a nation fractured by war.

The names etched in blood are not just history; they are a call to faith, duty, and unyielding courage. For every veteran still fighting their own battles—inside or out—Alonzo’s charge at Gettysburg echoes:

Stand firm. Fight true. Never yield.

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Sources

1. Smithsonian Institution + “Alonzo Cushing and the Medal of Honor” 2. U.S. Army Center of Military History + Medal of Honor Recipients: Civil War (A–F) 3. Sears, Stephen W. Gettysburg (2003) 4. National Park Service + Battle of Gettysburg Historical Summary

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