Mar 23 , 2026

Alonzo Cushing's Gettysburg Stand and Medal of Honor

# Alonzo Cushing: Last Stand at Gettysburg

Light dims behind shattered trees. The roar of artillery is deafening, but the guns still fire.

Alonzo Cushing, barely 22, lies bleeding on Cemetery Ridge’s slope. Bullets tear flesh. Bones break. Yet his hand clasps the lanyard again and again—firing—holding the line.

This is valor carved in blood.

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Born of Honor, Raised in Faith

Alonzo Hersford Cushing carried a solemn weight from Wisconsin’s tranquil farms to the thunderous ramparts of war. West Point trained him—class of 1861—steeped in discipline and the iron vow of duty.

Raised in a family forged by faith, Alonzo believed sacrifice was sacred. His father, Alonzo Sr., was a respected Congregationalist, teaching that true strength is found in service.

“Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” – Galatians 6:9

This scripture echoed in Cushing’s heart as cannons thundered.

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The Battle That Defined Him

July 3, 1863. Gettysburg. The high tide of the Civil War.

At the center of the Union defense stood Battery A, 4th U.S. Artillery. Cushing took command after his captain was wounded. The Confederate army surged in Pickett’s Charge, a wall of fire and steel crashing toward them.

Cushing’s orders were clear: hold Cemetery Ridge at all costs.

He endured bullet wounds—shoulder shattered, groin pierced, leg smashed—and yet refused aid. Twice, his men pleaded for him to fall back. Twice, he gritted through pain to load the guns.

Witnesses described his fierce composure.

“Lieutenant Cushing was at his post, encouraging his men to hold on to their guns at the critical moment… His courage was marvelous." – General Alexander S. Webb, commanding the 2nd Corps[1]

Even mortally wounded, with blood seeping through his uniform, Cushing steadied the batteries. His stubborn resistance delayed the Confederate line enough to contribute to their repulse.

Moments before losing consciousness, he reportedly whispered to his men: “Don’t give up the battery!”

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Recognition That Came Too Late

Cushing died on the battlefield that day, July 3, 1863—his legacy buried beneath war’s smoke.

His Medal of Honor did not arrive until 2014, buried deep in historical reviews and witness affidavits. It was the highest recognition for bravery—awarded over 150 years after his sacrifice.

“Alonzo Cushing distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry… sustaining his duties to the last breath at a critical moment.” – Medal of Honor citation, Department of the Army[2]

His story, long shadowed by history’s vast scale, finally shone in the public eye. Today, monuments and ceremonies honor his final stand.

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Legacy Etched in Courage and Redemption

Cushing’s fight was not one of glory but of unwavering duty. His scars tell a timeless story: true courage is not absence of fear—it is perseverance through pain.

In a world quick to forget sacrifices, his name invites us back to the raw truth of combat.

Sacrifice is never neat. Redemption is hard-earned.

Veterans feel the ghost of his struggle—in every fight, every wound, every moment when retreat seems easier but surrender is unacceptable.

His faith, his grit, and his curse to stand when dying carried a divine purpose. Cushing’s legacy whispers in the wind: even amid hell, stand your post. Hold your ground.

“Be strong and courageous... for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” – Deuteronomy 31:6

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Alonzo Cushing’s blood soaked the soil of Gettysburg—not for glory, but for the brother beside him, the cause they shared, and a future free from tyranny.

His story is an eternal battle cry:

To fight with honor, even when the fight takes everything.

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Sources

1. The War of the Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 27, Part 2 2. U.S. Department of Defense Medal of Honor Citation, Alonzo Cushing (2014)

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