Alonzo Cushing’s Stand at Gettysburg and His Medal of Honor

Mar 04 , 2026

Alonzo Cushing’s Stand at Gettysburg and His Medal of Honor

The cannon thundered. Smoke choked the air. Blood slicked the earth beneath his boots. Alonzo Cushing gripped the wheel of his artillery piece. Bullets tore through his flesh, but still, he would not yield. His guns must keep firing. Death had come close—so close—but surrender was not in this man’s vocabulary. At Gettysburg, July 3, 1863, amid the roars of Pickett’s Charge, Cushing stood as a final bulwark against the tide.

Born of Duty and Devotion

Alonzo Herbert Cushing came from a family rooted in honor and faith. Born in Milwaukee in 1841, he graduated from West Point in 1861. The Classical Christian virtues of courage, sacrifice, and steadfastness molded him. He carried his faith into battle like a shield, drawing strength from scripture even when the world crumbled around him.

His letters reveal a man who grasped his role in something greater. War was hell, but a crucible for purpose:

“I have never felt that life was my own to give away or throw away. It is God’s, and I mean to keep in the way He wants me.”[1]

Faith was no abstract concept—it was his battle rhythm.

The Battle That Defined Him

On Cemetery Ridge, the heart of the Union line at Gettysburg, Cushing commanded Battery A, 4th U.S. Artillery. July 3, 1863. The Confederate army was massing. Pickett’s men moved forward, thousands strong, into the storm of Union cannon and muskets.

Cushing’s battery was in a perilous spot. His guns were the last line before the Confederate forces could break through. As the enemy's volley crashed down, Cushing recognized the cost if his guns fell silent.

Wounded multiple times—first in the shoulder, then chest, and finally through the lungs—he refused evacuation. Through gritted teeth, the captain directed his men, rallying the fire that would break Pickett’s Charge.

Private Oliver Stevens, one of his gun crew, recounted:

“Captain Cushing was shot several times and yet all the while he managed to encourage his men and keep the guns firing.”[2]

Even when surrounded, even when death danced at his side, Cushing's voice carried through the chaos.

Valor Recognized, but Long Delayed

Alonzo Cushing died on that field before nightfall—age 22, a mortal wound claiming him as Confederate lines faltered. His official Medal of Honor was awarded posthumously in 2014, 151 years after his sacrifice—an overdue testament to the relentless spirit he embodied.

The Medal of Honor citation reads:

“...for extraordinary heroism on 3 July 1863, while serving with Battery A, 4th U.S. Artillery, in action at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Captain Cushing continued to direct the fire of his guns despite multiple mortal wounds.”[3]

Late recognition does not diminish his valor; it amplifies the poignant truth of forgotten sacrifice, a young man's unwavering stand when the nation’s fate hung in the balance.

Legacy: A Testament Written in Blood

Alonzo Cushing’s stand is a raw beacon, a reminder of what true courage demands—a willingness to face annihilation for something larger than oneself. His life and death preach a gospel beyond battle.

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

Cushing’s charge and steadfastness are not just history—they're a living call to confront our own trials with grit and grace.

In a world that often hides pain behind shields of convenience, his story demands we remember: true heroism is forged in the fire of sacrifice, carved deep into the scars we bear.

He did not survive to see his country healed, but from those broken fields rose a legacy long past the powder’s smoke. Alonzo Cushing’s blood is the soil from which courage grows. His life whispers to every generation—stand firm, fight hard, and never surrender the soul.

Sources

1. West Point Association of Graduates, “Alonzo H. Cushing,” Cullum’s Register 2. Stevens, Oliver. Eyewitness Account of Gettysburg, Library of Congress Archives 3. U.S. Army, Medal of Honor Citation, Alonzo H. Cushing, 2014