First Lieutenant Alonzo Cushing Marker

"Erected in honor of
Lt A.H. Cushing
And his 4th U.S. Battery A
by
Col. R. Penn Smith
and his Regiment
71st PA Vol's"

The memorial sits among the cannons of the 4th U.S. Artillery, Battery A with the memorial of Brig Gen Armistead just in front indicating the furthest point of advance of Pickett's Charge. The intense bombardment proceeding the attack left Cushing and many of his men wounded by shell fragments and only two guns still serviceable. Rather than withdraw the remnants of his battery, he obtained permission to advance to the stone wall and continued to fire canister into Picketts Division. Cushing was wounded three times, the second in the stomach and groin would have probably been fatal. He refused to go to the rear and continued to give order through his second in command, First Sergeant Frederick Fuger, who held him up and relayed his commands. He was killed instantly by a bullet through the throat. He was buried at west Point. Sergeant Fuger was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions after the battle. The 71st Pennsylvania Volunteers Memorial is just in front of the 4th U.S. Artillery A Battery Memorial and is visible on the LHS of picture 5.

This memorial in the Gettysburg National Military Park commemorates First Lieutenant Alonzo Cushing (1841–1863) of Battery A, 4th United States Artillery. In 2014, President Barack Obama posthumously awarded him the Medal of Honor.
The Battle of Gettysburg was fought from 1 to 3 July 1863 by Union and Confederate forces during the American Civil War. The battle involved the largest armies (104,000 Union soldiers and 71,000 Confederate soldiers) of the entire war and is often described as the war's turning point. The battle resulted in a Union victory, ending the Confederate attempt to invade the North.
The battle involved the largest number of casualties of the entire war: in total over 6,600 men were killed, 33,000 wounded and 12,000 missing of captured. The losses were about equal on both sides.

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Source

• Text: Fedor de Vries
• Photos: Anthony (Sharky) Ward