Alonzo Cushing's Gettysburg Sacrifice and Medal of Honor

Oct 06 , 2025

Alonzo Cushing's Gettysburg Sacrifice and Medal of Honor

Blood-soaked dirt under frozen hands. The roar of artillery shakes the earth where Alonzo Cushing stands — unmoving amid chaos. Bullets like hail tear through men around him, but the guns don’t stop. Not while there’s breath in his lungs. “Fire! Fire! Keep firing!” he commands, the voice of a dying man sealing his fate and his legacy.

Born from Quiet Duty

Alonzo Church Cushing was no stranger to battle, even before his first volley at Gettysburg. Born April 23, 1841, into a family steeped in military tradition, the son of a West Point graduate, his path was etched early. A devout man, Cushing’s faith was woven into his sense of honor — a steady flame in the storm.

He entered West Point at 15, graduating near the top of his class in 1861, carving discipline and duty into his bones. His commitment was more than service to country; it was a sacred covenant to protect others, a calling bigger than himself.

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works.” — Ephesians 2:10

This spiritual resolve would face its severest test on the fields of Pennsylvania, where the fate of the Union—and his own soul—would be decided.

Holds the Line at Cemetery Ridge

July 3, 1863: The sun scorched the fields around Gettysburg as Confederate forces launched Pickett’s Charge. The Union center buckled but did not break. In the heart of this inferno stood First Lieutenant Cushing, artillery officer of Battery A, 4th U.S. Artillery.

Wounded multiple times—first by a bullet to the thigh, then a saber strike to the head—Cushing refused evacuation. His orders were clear: hold the guns until the enemy was repelled or death came first. Even as blood pooled beneath him, he crawled to his cannon, directing fire with steady hands.

Witnesses recall Cushing shouting orders through pain unlike any other, his voice cutting through screams and thunder. When another shot smashed his other leg, he gripped the lanyard, firing the guns that would shatter Pickett’s rebel assault.

His final act was the ultimate definition of sacrifice: dying where he fought, refusing to yield. His last words reportedly urged his men to “never cease the fire.”

Medal of Honor: Valor, Long Overdue

Despite immediate praise then and now, the Medal of Honor eluded Cushing for over 150 years. The Army awarded the honor posthumously in 2014—testament to the enduring power of his actions.

The citation reads:

“For extraordinary heroism on 3 July 1863, during the Battle of Gettysburg, Maryland Heights, and Fort Washington, despite wounds that ultimately proved mortal, Lt. Cushing remained at his post, maintaining effective artillery fire against the attacking Confederate forces.”[1]

General Winfield Scott Hancock, his division commander, called him “unflinching” and “a model of courage and devotion.” Fellow soldiers remembered his courage as something rare—a fierce light flickering in relentless darkness.

Reckoning with Legacy

Alonzo Cushing’s story is not just of heroic death. It is a lesson in how grit and faith meld into purpose. Holding that line, despite mortal wounds, meant buying time for his comrades and the Union’s future.

His scars are etched into American history, but more importantly, into the hearts of those who understand the cost of freedom.

His sacrifice reminds veterans across generations that courage isn’t reckless—it is deliberate persistence when the night is darkest. It reminds civilians that valor demands the highest price. Most of all, it whispers redemption: that in the crucible of sacrifice, purpose and grace may be found.

“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles.” — Isaiah 40:31

The guns silenced on Cemetery Ridge, but Cushing’s spirit never faded. Every battle scar carries his name, every act of fearless service honors his legacy.

In the end, Lt. Alonzo Cushing’s fight was for more than land or flag—it was for the promise of peace born from pain.

That promise endures. It burns in the blood of those willing to stand when others fall.

Sources

[1] U.S. Army Center of Military History, Medal of Honor Recipients: Civil War (A-L) [2] Boritt, G. S., The Gettysburg Gospel (2006) [3] Riggs, R., Gettysburg: The Last Invasion (2006)