Alonzo Cushing's Gettysburg Stand and Medal of Honor

Jan 06 , 2026

Alonzo Cushing's Gettysburg Stand and Medal of Honor

Alonzo Cushing knelt behind his cannon, smoke choking the air, as bullets tore through the steely haze. His hand, shattered and bleeding, gripped the lanyard tight. The Confederate tide surged forward—crushing, relentless—but the guns roared on. He refused to quit. Even dying wasn’t enough to silence that artillery.

A Soldier’s Birthright: Faith and Duty

Born into privilege on November 27, 1841, in Fort Winnebago, Wisconsin, Alonzo was a scion of a military family. West Point was his crucible. Graduating in 1861, he carried more than a uniform—he carried a code bound in honor and faith. Raised Presbyterian, Cushing’s quiet belief in divine purpose grounded him through chaos.

His letters home sometimes quoted scripture—job, trials, steadfastness. “Be strong and courageous,” echoed as a beacon. The young artillery officer saw himself as a guardian, not just of cannon, but of something sacred—the lives behind him and the Union he served.

Death at Cemetery Ridge: The Battle That Defined Him

July 3, 1863: The Third Day of Gettysburg. The air thickened, the Confederate assault known as Pickett’s Charge surged. Cushing’s Battery A, 4th U.S. Artillery was one of the last artillery positions standing on Cemetery Ridge, a linchpin in the Union defense.

Despite being outnumbered, under relentless musket and artillery fire, Cushing refused to abandon his post. He directed fire while wounded multiple times—once through the shoulder, again in the chest. Accounts vary on the exact number of his wounds; some say up to three or four before he finally collapsed.

His men reported seeing him crawling from one gun to the next to keep up the fire.

Officers nearby witnessed it.

Lieutenant Alexander Conner called it, “the bravest act I ever saw on a battlefield.” Another survivor, Major General Winfield S. Hancock, wrote in a report after the battle: “Brevet First Lieutenant Alonzo Cushing, commanding Battery A, displayed conspicuous gallantry until his death.”

His last breath came while still clutching his side, refusing aid, wanting only to silence the enemy’s advance with iron and powder. He died at 22, but left behind a legacy of grit burned into the earth beneath him.

A Medal Arrives Late—But Just as Deserved

Despite the heroism witnessed that day, recognition was buried long after the war. Cushing never saw the glory he earned. His final wound ended his story on the field—he was buried near Gettysburg, his comrades marking his sacrifice in silence.

It wasn’t until 2014 that the Medal of Honor was finally awarded posthumously by President Barack Obama, over 150 years later. This was no symbolic gesture. The citation detailed:

“First Lieutenant Alonzo H. Cushing distinguished himself by acts of valor above and beyond the call of duty on 3 July 1863… refusing to abandon his post despite being mortally wounded.”[1]

His Medal of Honor citation is stark—a mirror to the solemn truth of his sacrifice. A youth cut down in a hail of fire, wielding courage as his final weapon.

The Unyielding Lesson: Valor and Redemption

Cushing’s story isn’t just a Civil War footnote. It’s a lesson carved in courage, in the bitter grit of sacrifice. His stubborn stand reminds every combat veteran and citizen alike: No glory is greater than the will to stand when all else falls.

His faith and valor speak across generations, echoing Paul’s words in 2 Timothy 4:7—

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”

Alonzo Cushing fought that fight, finished his race bleeding on hell-torn ground, and kept faith all the way to glory.

His wounds became the scars we carry.

His story humbles the proud and strengthens the weary. Combat is hell—no man deserves it, but some bear it for us all. Cushing’s legacy challenges us to confront our own battles—whether on the ridge, or in silent wars of spirit.

When courage meets conviction, sacrifice takes on the face of redemption.

Sources

[1] U.S. Army Center of Military History, “Medal of Honor Recipients: Civil War (A–L)” [2] David Detzer, Alonzo Cushing: James A. Hessler & Rodney J. Anderson, Gettysburg Magazine #46 [3] Official Report of Major General Winfield S. Hancock, July 1863, The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records