Alonzo Cushing

Alonzo Hersford Cushing (January 19, 1841 – July 3, 1863) was an artillery officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He died at the Battle of Gettysburg while defending the Union position on Cemetery Ridge against Pickett's Charge.

Civil War service

Cushing was born in what is now the city of Delafield, Wisconsin, but was raised in Fredonia, New York. His younger brother was future Union Navy officer Lt. William B. Cushing. They were the youngest of four brothers that eventually would serve in the Union Army. [ [http://www.suvcw-wi.org/camps/camp5.html SUVCW Camp #5 website] ]

He graduated from the United States Military Academy in the Class of 1861. He commanded Battery A, 4th U.S. Artillery at Gettysburg, and was hailed by contemporaries as heroic in his actions on the third day of the battle. He was wounded three times. First, bullet went straight through his shoulder. Then, he was shot in the groin area. After these injuries a higher ranking officer said, "Cushing, go to the rear." Cushing, due to the limited amount of men left, refused to fall back. Cushing was killed when a bullet entered his mouth and exited through the back of his skull. He died on the field at the height of the assault. [Brown, "Cushing of Gettysburg".]

His body was returned to his family and then interred in West Point Cemetery in Section 26, Row A, Grave 7. His headstone bears, at the behest of his mother, the inscription "Faithful until Death." [West Point Cemetery tourbook]

He was posthumously cited for gallantry with a brevet promotion to lieutenant colonel. His first sergeant, Frederick Fuger, received the Medal of Honor.

Alonzo H. Cushing Camp #5 of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War serves the Ozaukee County region of Wisconsin. [ [http://www.suvcw-wi.org/camps/camp5.html SUVCW Camp #5 website] ]

Notes

ee also

References

*Brown, Kent Masterson, "Cushing of Gettysburg", University Press of Kentucky, 1993, ISBN 0-8131-1837-9

External links

*findagrave|3657 Retrieved on 2008-09-27
* [http://www.nps.gov/archive/gett/getttour/tstops/tstd3-20.htm Gettysburg National Military Park - The Death of Lt. Cushing]

Further reading

* Haight, Theron Wilber, "Three Wisconsin Cushings; a sketch of the lives of Howard B., Alonzo H. and William B. Cushing, children of a pioneer family of Waukesha County, Wisconsin". Madison: Wisconsin History Commission, 1910.