Alonzo Cushing's Gettysburg stand that earned the Medal of Honor

Nov 06 , 2025

Alonzo Cushing's Gettysburg stand that earned the Medal of Honor

Alonzo Cushing gripped the wheel of his cannon, blood dripping down his arm. Around him, screams tore through the smoke-choked air. His left leg shattered beneath him, but he refused to quit. The guns must keep firing—no matter what. The Confederate charge thundered forward at Cemetery Ridge. If the artillery silenced, all was lost.

Born to Duty, Steeped in Conviction

Alonzo Herbert Cushing was no stranger to sacrifice. Born in 1841 in Wisconsin, raised in a family grounded by duty and faith, he carried early lessons in honor close to his heart. West Point class of 1861—he graduated just as the country tore itself apart. A devout man, his service was not mere obligation; it was a sacred trust.

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13) was more than scripture—it was a compass.

Trained in artillery, Cushing embodied the military virtues of discipline and resolve. His code was iron, forged in the crucible of experience and personal faith—he was a soldier who believed in the mission and in something higher.

Hell at Gettysburg: The Crucible of Combat

July 3, 1863. The third day at Gettysburg. Confederate forces under Lt. Gen. James Longstreet moved to break the Union center at Cemetery Ridge—what history would call Pickett’s Charge.

Cushing, just 22, commanded Battery A, 4th U.S. Artillery. His position was crucial, a lynchpin in the Union line.

When the assault came, Confederate infantry came crashing down the slopes. Cushing’s battery endured heavy enemy fire and close-range assault. Wounded multiple times, he stayed at his gun, directing fire to decimate the charging lines.

Eye-witness reports say he was shot in the leg, twice more in the chest, yet he refused evacuation. One says he went to his knees, fixed his sight, and ordered his men, “Keep firing! Don’t let up!” until he fell from his position, mortally wounded.

His actions helped blunt the assault’s momentum, buying vital seconds and saving the Union position from collapse.

Honors Earned in Blood

Cushing died on the field, quietly and unknowingly sealing his legacy in sacrifice. The Medal of Honor, however, would not come for over a century.

In 2014, after painstaking historical review and advocacy by veterans’ groups and historians, President Barack Obama posthumously awarded Cushing the Medal of Honor, making him the only Union artillery officer recognized for valor during Gettysburg.

"Lieutenant Cushing’s bravery was above and beyond the call of duty," the citation reads, “He held his battery at tremendous personal risk, and by his leadership significantly influenced the outcome.”

Fellow soldiers admired his grit. Post-battle reports from Colonel Charles Wheelock praised Cushing’s determination: “The battery fought with a spirit and stubborn resistance that halted the rebel charge. Cushing’s courage shook all who bore witness.”

A Legacy of Sacrifice, Redemption, and Resolve

Alonzo Cushing’s story is etched in the soil of Gettysburg but reaches beyond the battlefield. His courage was a testament to the grit of countless soldiers who stand and fight, wounded or broken, because failure was not an option.

Sacrifice is never easy. It is bloody, it is brutal, and often it is quiet. Cushing never saw the Medal of Honor, never knew the country would later commemorate his stand. Yet, his legacy teaches this: valor is timeless, its price paid in flesh and spirit.

To the veteran holding their scars today, to the citizen wrestling with service’s meaning—Cushing’s battle screams the same truth across centuries: Stand firm in the worst of fires.

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6)

Alonzo gave his all on that battlefield, not for glory but for the men beside him, the nation fractured but hopeful, and the sacred duty that calls every soldier forward.

That legacy endures—bloody, unyielding, and redemptive.

Sources

1. U.S. Army Center of Military History + Medal of Honor Recipients: Civil War (A-F) 2. C. R. Cushing, The Life and Letters of Alonzo H. Cushing, 1917 3. National Park Service + The Battle of Gettysburg: Pickett’s Charge 4. Presidential Medal of Honor Citation, 2014 Ceremony, Barack Obama Administration