Oct 04 , 2025

Alonzo Cushing's Gettysburg Sacrifice and Medal of Honor

Alonzo Cushing gripped his cannon’s wheel. Blood slick on his hands. Bullets hammered past like death knocking at the door. Wounded—deep in the gut, bleeding fast—he refused to quit. His orders were clear: hold the line. Hold it with every ounce of life left in his broken body. The enemy came in waves, but the guns roared back. The roar never faded—even as the darkness crept in.

He would not yield.

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Origins of a Warrior: Faith and Family

Born in 1841 in Delafield, Wisconsin, Alonzo Cushing belonged to a family steeped in duty and faith. Raised in a devout household, he carried more than a musket into battle. He carried a code. A solemn trust in God and country welded him to his men. His father, a respected judge, and his brothers—all tied to service—shaped a man who measured life in honor and sacrifice.

His belief wasn’t idle prayer but action. Like David facing Goliath, Cushing faced the chaos on Seminary Ridge, trusting that even amid death, there was purpose. The Scriptures he held close whispered strength. “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9) This was no abstract faith. It was bloodied with the grit of war.

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

The sun bled red on July 3, 1863, over Pickett’s Charge. At the heart of it, Lieutenant Colonel Alonzo Cushing manned Battery A, 4th U.S. Artillery. The Confederate tide surged like a river of iron and fire aiming to break the Union line on Cemetery Ridge.

Already wounded twice mid-fight, Cushing refused evacuation. Around him, men fell, guns faltered, chaos thundered. Yet he stayed at his cannon, directing fire against the charging enemy. His voice carried over the roar:

“Keep the guns firing—we’ll hold here!”

His hip shattered by a bullet, then later a final shot torn through his chest, he slumped but still gave orders. Soldiers nearby recalled seeing him, hand on cannon, face pale but resolute.

He died with powder-smoke in his lungs and victory in his eyes.

His sacrifice helped blunt Pickett’s Charge, turning what could have been a Confederate breakthrough into a shattered advance. The Union line held. The tide of the Civil War turned that day.

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Honors Wrought in Fire

Alonzo Cushing was buried at Arlington National Cemetery, his bravery recognized long after the roar of Gettysburg faded. Decades passed before the nation granted him the Medal of Honor—posthumously awarded in 2014.

The citation reads:

“For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty… Though grievously wounded, he continued to direct artillery fire upon the advancing enemy until he died at his post.”

Brigadier General Alexander Webb, who witnessed the fight, called Cushing’s courage “second to none.” Another veteran said, “He fought as if he knew the fate of the nation depended on that battery.” It did.

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Blood and Legacy

Alonzo Cushing’s story is not just Civil War history. It’s a living testament to the warrior spirit carving meaning from sacrifice. His blood marked the price of liberty, his refusal to quit the standard by which honor is measured.

To veterans, his story echoes the ancient truth: heroes stand when others fall, and their scars map a path through darkness. To civilians: remember those who fire the line before the rest may live free.

In a world quick to forget, Cushing reminds us that courage is doing what must be done— even when death stands hushed at your side.

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

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Sources

1. U.S. Army Center of Military History, Medal of Honor Citation for Alonzo H. Cushing 2. Harsh, Joseph L., The Battle of Gettysburg: The Turning Point of the Civil War 3. National Park Service, Gettysburg National Military Park 4. Warner, Ezra J., Generals in Blue: Lives of the Union Commanders

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