Alonzo Cushing of Delafield, WI
Posted on 11/06/2014 11:30:29 AM PST by Fenhalls555
First Lt. Alonzo H. Cushing was bleeding profusely from wounds to his abdomen and shoulder as thousands of Confederate infantrymen advanced on his artillery battery in the Battle of Gettysburg. At least one of his soldiers begged him to seek medical treatment, but he refused. He stayed on the battlefield another 90 minutes while under attack, ordering his men to keep firing their three-inch cannons right up until the moment that he was killed with a gunshot to the head.
The Union Army’s ability to stop that assault by at least 13,000 soldiers — known as Pickett’s Charge, after a Confederate general who led rebel troops taking part in it — is a key part of the Civil War’s most iconic battle. But the heroism of Cushing, 22, on July 3, 1863, was not honored with the nation’s highest award for combat valor, even though 63 other Union soldiers received the prestigious decoration.
U.S. officials will rectify that Thursday.
President Obama is scheduled to award the Medal of Honor in a White House ceremony to descendants of the Cushing family, more than 151 years after the battle. They’ve passed his story down for generations with pride, but had not considered it possible that Cushing would receive the award, they said.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alonzo_Cushing
OK, this guy was brave. Certainly cajones bigger than most folks have.
But 151 years later? Based on sketchy information?
It is not my intent to demean this man. Or his actions. Or those of him on either side of his canon.
But 151 years later?
Does the Congress and the Army have better things to do rather than make a family from Wisconsin proud?
I know I am going to take some heat because of this. But this is common amongst groups of people who have lost their ability to see the greatness right in front of them. This is the Army’s version of a Greatest Hits II album.
He is a national hero! He deserves our nation’s highest award.
God bless him, make his face shine upon him and grant him peace!
Alonzo H. Cushing you’re honored among the eternal dead and have our nation’s most profound gratitude.
RIP - gallant soldier!
He was overlooked.
It happens. He defended the Union lines at Gettysburg with exceptional courage and valor.
Its never too late to rectify the injustice.
Another Wisconsin Medal of Honor soldier honored.
FReep Mail me if you want on, or off, this wisconsin interest ping list.
Having watched several documentaries on the civil war they explained that the CMH awarded then is not the same as the current CMH. Essentially the military didn’t really have any other medals during that time so they created the CMH as kind of a catchall.
Alonzo Cushing of Delafield, WI
He has living descendants.
They can be proud of their ancestor and his selfless conduct brings a tear to the eyes of every American.
Its a special moment to see him gain the recognition he truly deserved.
The good die young. He fell with a bullet to his head defending the country he loved.
Its always sad to lose your kids to war and at the same time you’re proud of their sacrifice.
It’s a media moment for Obama.
I disagree.
Its a moment to honor a great American.
There are times when I’m proud of my country and this is such a moment.
I feel esteem and reverence for the patriots whose blood hollowed this ground and gave us the new birth of freedom we all enjoy today.
I salute them unto God and pay them my last respects.
I respectfully disagree.
We’ll look at Obama’s speech and from it, we’ll know whether it was about him and an agenda or about a soldier from 150 years ago.
27 APR 1916
Congress passes legislation to establish “The Army and Navy Medal of Honor Roll” and authorizes a $10 monthly pension for Medal recipients over age 65.
3 JUN 1916
“A board to consist of five general officers on the retired list of the Army shall be convened...for the purpose of investigating and reporting upon past awards or issue of the so-called congressional medal of honor.”
16 OCT 1916
The BOARD OF GENERALS authorized in the previous legislation convened under Lt. General Nelson Miles, a Medal recipient from the Civil War. General Miles had taken an active role in promoting legislation to protect the Medal as commander of the Medal of Honor Legion and approached the work of his committee with determination and dedication. Every award of the Army Medal of Honor since the Civil War was reviewed. The recipients were anonymous to the board, represented only by a number.
5 FEB 1917
The Medal of Honor review board released its findings, striking the names of 911 medal recipients from the honor roll. The stricken names included all the medals awarded to the 27th Maine, 29 members of President Lincoln’s funeral guard, and six civilians (whose courage the board did not deny, but who were ruled ineligible for the Medal due their civilian status). Five of the civilians were scouts from the Indian Campaigns including Buffalo Bill Cody. The sixth was Civil War Assistant Surgeon Mary Walker. Though she had participated in major campaigns from Bull Run to Chickamauga, even endured three months as a Confederate prisoner of war, her civilian status denied her continued recognition as a Medal of Honor recipient.
17 APR 1917
The last Medals of Honor awarded for Civil War action are presented to Henry Lewis and Henry Peters, bringing to a close the controversial and divisive scramble of Civil War vets for the coveted award, and opening the way for new legislative protections.
http://www.cmohs.org/medal-history.php
Was watching FNS this morning and saw a blurb about this. As much as I was curious to hear about the award I chose not to watch pResident Poopy-pants.
It’s the Ace is a deck of race cards.
Remind America of slavery and the evil, Southern, Red States rebels.
A good story, clearly bravery, but at the time and thereafter not brought forward for the Medal of Honor.
I watched Ollie North’s “Tarawa” war story about a week ago, and read Shaara’s account a few years back of that same battle.
I’m guessing there were hundreds or thousands of similar incidents on Tarawa and Okinawa.
My sense is that such decisions need to be the decisions of the men who were there. More than any of us, they know. They know in their hearts, in their gut, when they see the absolutely unbelievable act.
I prefer to trust the judgment of the men who had boots on the ground.
... ‘cause he’s still voting Democrat?
Wonder if my ancestor Junius - a 21 year old Corporal in the 14th Tennessee Infantry Regiment, and a well-known sharpshooter fired that bullet. He killed a lot of “squirrels” (as he called the Union soldiers) that day and was trapped for some time behind enemy lines before he escaped. To be sure - he stood beside another very frightened boy of maybe fifteen who was also shot in the head, seconds after the boy threw down his rifle to quit the battle.
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