Alonzo Cushing in Memory
Ever since his fateful wounding and death on July 3, 1863, Alonzo Hereford Cushing has captured the interest and sympathies of the American public. His story is that of the "Good Death", as described by Drew Gilpin Faust in his book, This Republic of Suffering: Death and the American Civil War". The more one suffered on the battlefield, the more glory they won in the eyes of the public and in memory.
There are many factors to why Cushing is remembered in history. He was only 22 at his time of death, still a figure of youth.
"Oh, that day and that hour! History will not let that smiling, splendid boy die in vain; long her dew will glisten over his record as the earthly morning dew glistens in the fields. Fame loves the gentleman and the true-hearted, but her sweetheart is gallant youth.”- Morris Schaff, The Spirit of Old West Point page 31.
Another part of the Cushing fascination is how he was wounded. Frederick Fuger, Cushing's first sergeant, vividly described his experience of July 3, 1863 and the wounding and death of Cushing, saying "At that time Cushing was wounded in the right shoulder, and a few seconds after that he was wounded in the testicles-- a very severe and painful wound." (page 408)
Young, handsome, died in a particularly grusomeway commanding his unit. This is true of several others such as O'Rorke. What makes Cushing unique? Why was Cushing featured in the New York Times?
The monument that features Patrick O'Rorke was put up by his regiment and is a regimental monument. Woodruff, Hazlett, etc. don't have individual memorials. Cushing is the only West Point graduate that died at the Battle of Gettysburg besides Reynolds that has an individual memorial.
Cushing has been remembered in poems, novels, and even 5 seconds in the extended edition of the 1993 major motion picture Gettysburg. Why?
I would like to say it is something called the "Cushing Factor". In all the memoirs, reports, scholarship that I have read on Cushing, he is always smiling, always laughing. Cushing is a light in the darkness.
