Jan 07 , 2026
Alonzo Cushing's Sacrifice on Cemetery Ridge at Gettysburg
Blood on the guns, smoke in the air, the world collapsing at Gettysburg. Alonzo Cushing stood his ground. Twice wounded, the youngest artillery officer held open the gates to defeat with cold steel resolve and searing pain. His cannon roared, his men bled, and the tide turned—not because of luck, but because some fight with every fiber until the very end.
The Battle That Defined Him
July 3, 1863—dead center of hell. The third day at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Confederate forces unleashed Pickett’s Charge, a tidal wave of men bent on breaking the Union line on Cemetery Ridge. Cannon smoke choked vision. Shells slammed into the frozen ground like hammers from hell.
Captain Alonzo Cushing commanded Battery A, 4th U.S. Artillery, positioned atop the ridge, a lynchpin in the Union defense. Even as cannonballs tore through his gun line, he refused to falter. His comrades fell around him, but Cushing stayed. Wounded twice—first in the leg, then the abdomen—he ordered his men to keep firing. Their guns spat death, halting Confederate momentum. The man himself was carried away by force only after he collapsed. He died minutes later, eyes fixed on the smoking battlefield. His grit confirmed the ridge would hold.
Background & Faith: The Making of a Warrior
Born in Delafield, Wisconsin in 1841, Alonzo Cushing was raised in a family grounded in faith and duty. Son of a West Point graduate, the young soldier was steeped in a tradition of honor, sacrifice, and steadfast resolve. His discipline was forged in the hallowed halls of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, where a strict code welded character and faith into unbreakable steel.
He carried a burden heavier than any pack—belief that his duty to country and comrades exceeded his own life. Letters from his youth reveal a devout Christian who found solace and courage in scripture. In that maelstrom of war, Cushing's faith was no hollow gesture—it was real armor.
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.” — Ephesians 6:10
This wasn’t empty sentiment. It was the solemn oath of a man who understood battle wasn’t just physical—it was spiritual.
The Artillery Duel: Noise, Fury, and Sacrifice
The artillery on Cemetery Ridge faced unrelenting waves of Confederate infantry and artillery fire. Cushing’s battery was pivotal—annihilating the enemy’s approach and protecting the line.
What makes Cushing’s stand legendary is the cold clarity under agony. Wounded, bleeding, and exhausted, he reportedly refused medical aid, barking orders through clenched teeth. His men recounted him struggling to keep the cannons loaded and firing despite his mortal wounds. According to survivor accounts, Cushing’s refusal to yield rallied the men amid chaos and slaughter.
John A. Bingham, Union General and later Medal of Honor presenter, said of the fight:
“Captain Cushing stood his ground at Gettysburg amidst clouds of smoke and exploding shells. His artillery battery made fifty direct hits on the advancing troops in less than ten minutes. He died at the guns, refusing to be moved from his post.”[¹]
Cushing’s sacrifice directly contributed to repelling Pickett’s Charge. His mortal wounds confirmed his unwavering commitment to his men and nation.
Recognition: Valor Finally Honored
Alonzo Cushing died a forgotten hero on July 3, 1863. His valor was known at the time but went unrecognized formally for more than 100 years.
It wasn’t until 2014, more than 150 years after Gettysburg, that the Medal of Honor was posthumously awarded—finally acknowledging Cushing’s extraordinary courage. The citation highlights "the distinguished gallantry... while under heavy fire, and while mortally wounded, maintained his position and kept his battery firing upon the enemy until he died."
President Barack Obama presented the medal to Cushing’s descendants in a ceremony at the White House. During the presentation, the President remarked:
“Captain Cushing’s unwavering dedication under fire reminds us all what patriotism and sacrifice truly mean.”[²]
His name now stands among the greatest American warriors, a lasting testament that valor cannot be buried by time.
Legacy & Lessons: Courage Beyond the Flesh
Cushing’s story is not just about a man in battle. It’s about what it means to lead, to sacrifice when there is nothing left but conviction. It’s about fighting for something greater than life itself, trusting the cause, the brothers beside you, and the God above.
His legacy shouts to every soldier and civilian alike: courage is not the absence of fear or pain. It is the decision to act despite them—until your last breath.
The battlefield took his life but gave us a message etched in history: Sacrifice is never wasted. It shapes generations. It binds us to those who came before and those yet to step into the breach.
“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” — John 15:13
Alonzo Cushing laid down his life on a gun carriage, not for glory, but because some calls cannot be ignored. In the decades since, a humbled nation has learned from his sacrifice. The blood once spilled on Cemetery Ridge still speaks.
SOURCES
1. West Point Association of Graduates + “Medal of Honor Citation: Alonzo Cushing” 2. White House Archives + Obama Medal of Honor Ceremony, 2014
Related Posts
William J. Crawford Medal of Honor for Courage at Mount Altuzzo
William J. Crawford's Medal of Honor at Hill 175, Okinawa
William J. Crawford World War II Medal of Honor for Holding the Line