Alonzo Cushing's Gettysburg Stand Earned the Medal of Honor

Dec 13 , 2025

Alonzo Cushing's Gettysburg Stand Earned the Medal of Honor

The roar of cannon fire swallowed the world. Smoke choked the air. Amid the chaos, Lieutenant Alonzo Cushing stood unmoved at his battery, blood seeping through torn flesh, refusing to cease the fighting. His hands, trembling but relentless, ignored every plea to fall back. His mission was clear: hold the line at all costs.

Blood and Honor: The Making of a Soldier

Alonzo H. Cushing was born in Wisconsin in 1841, groomed in the discipline of West Point. A man forged by duty and deep conviction, he carried a warrior’s sense of divine purpose. His faith, steady and unyielding, demanded sacrifice greater than comfort. Raised in a family steeped in public service, Cushing accepted his station—not for glory, but duty to country and God.

His moral compass pointed unerringly toward sacrifice. “Greater love hath no man than this,” (John 15:13) echoed in his mind as he marched into battle. The artillery officer’s heart beat to a rhythm of steadfast service and unbreakable resolve.

The Battle of Gettysburg: Defying Death

July 3, 1863. The third and bloodiest day at Gettysburg. Cushing was 22 years old, commanding Battery A, 4th U.S. Artillery, positioned on Cemetery Ridge. The Confederate assault—Pickett’s Charge—thundered toward Union lines like a wave of death.

Enemy troops closed within yards. Cushing’s position was crucial: artillery at that spot could turn the tide. Despite savage wounds—his abdomen pierced, blood pooling beneath him—Cushing refused to quit. He barked orders, adjusted his guns, and personally aimed cannon to mow down attacking rebels.

Man after man around him fell, but he stayed, firing until his strength was gone. Reports say he was carried from the field, eyes fierce even as life slipped away on July 9. His last act was a testament to unyielding courage, a stand that helped save the Union line from collapse[1].

Honor’s Weight: Recognized at Last

For decades, Cushing’s valor lingered in silence. His sacrifice was noted but unheralded. It wasn’t until 2014, 151 years after Gettysburg, that the Medal of Honor was awarded posthumously, recognizing a legacy of unmatched bravery[2].

“Lieutenant Cushing exhibited conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty,” states the Medal of Honor citation.

General Alexander S. Webb, who commanded the brigade during Pickett’s Charge, later called Cushing “a model for all who serve” and attested to his unwavering presence at the guns.

Such recognition belatedly honored a warrior who embodied the highest ideals of the profession: sacrifice, leadership, and dedication beyond the last breath.

What Cushing Teaches Us

His story is not about medals or fame. It’s about the brutal cost of holding the line when everything inside screams relief. Cushing shows us what it means to stand firm in the storm, when the world burns and retreat is sweeter than pain.

His blood-stained sacrifice at Gettysburg carved a timeless lesson: courage is forged in moments when giving up is easiest.

“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 his armor—not just powder and steel, but faith and purpose. His legacy presses on the shoulders of every warrior who has borne scars in silent battlefields and every soul who has faced fear and doubt that threatens to break them.

Alonzo Cushing died young, but his story outlives the cannon’s echo. It whispers in every act of sacrifice, reminding us that true valor rises not from victory—but from the refusal to surrender when the shot calls last.

Sources

[1] U.S. Army Center of Military History, Medal of Honor Recipients: Civil War (A-L) [2] National Park Service, Gettysburg Battlefield Unit Histories [3] “Posthumous Medal of Honor for Lieutenant Alonzo Cushing,” Congressional Medal of Honor Society