Medal of Honor for Civil War hero coming to Gettysburg
Photo by AP Photo/Wisconsin Historical Society
(Gettysburg) — The family of a Civil War soldier is donating his Medal of Honor and personal letters to the Gettysburg National Military Park.
Pickett’s Charge had opened a line in the Union defenses during the Battle of Gettysburg on July 3rd, 1863.
But First Lieutenant Alonzo Cushing forced Confederate soldiers to confront him as they poured through.
Cushing’s stood his ground even though he had to literally hold his body together after shrapnel tore through his thigh and stomach.
“When you hear about the loss of his life at Gettysburg and what he did with his artillery battery, it’s an amazing story, but then when you pull back and you realize he was 22 years old, it really becomes an amazing story,” says Lawhon.
Lawhon says the Medal of Honor, awarded by President Obama last November, will arrive next spring.
The donation also includes personal letters and other artifacts from Cushing’s time in the field.
Lawhon says the Gettysburg Foundation will likely help cover the cost of putting together a display.
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