Civil War hero from Delafield in line for Medal of Honor

[boomerbust]

Source: jsonline.com

In the hell that was the battle of Gettysburg, in the hailstorm of shells and shrapnel that extinguished so many lives on a hot July day, one bullet struck a blue-clad soldier from Delafield, Wis., in the head.

A shell fragment already had pierced Alonzo Cushing's shoulder and shrapnel tore through his abdomen before the shot that felled the 1861 West Point graduate.

Cushing died July 3, 1863, during Pickett's Charge at Cemetery Ridge next to the artillery guns he refused to leave. It was the third and final day of the Gettysburg battle. Cushing was just 22.

The 1st lieutenant's body was returned to his family and buried at West Point beneath a headstone inscribed "Faithful until death." Cushing's name didn't fade away - it graces a park in Delafield, and a white obelisk monument was dedicated


Read more: http://www.jsonline.com/news/waukesha/88882607.html

[lamp_shade]

1. My brother just this morning sent me this link to "Original Civil War Photos...

...BEYOND EXTRAORDINARY"
"Truly fortunate that so many of these have survived. Probably a million wet plate photos were made during the civil war on glass plate. Popular during the war, they lost their appeal afterwards and so many were sold for the glass. Many used in green houses. Over the years the sun caused the images to disappear. These are pretty amazing considering they were taken up to 150 years ago: A compendium of photos from the Civil War era.. Run the cursor over the photograph and the picture caption will pop up. Click photo to enlarge ."

http://www.mikelynaugh.com/VirtualCivilWar/New/Originals2/index.html

[boomerbust]

2. Great link

Awesome technology- Thank You

[damyank913]

3. Totally awesome.

[happyslug]

4. Was he eligible at the time he died? Appears he was (But Maybe not)

While the Medal of Honor existed from 1862 onward, it was restricted to ENLISTED RANKS till 3 March 1863, thus by the time of Gettysburg Officer could be awarded the Medal of Honor. Now, I do NOT know when the actual act became law, most such laws do NOT come into operation for 30 days after passing Congress (Unless Congress sets a different date in the Law itself) but it appears he was eligible (Through some laws only become effective at the end of the year the law was passed, so it is possible that Officer were NOT Eligible till 1/1/1864, well after Gettysburg).

The reason Officers were excluded from the Medal of Honor was Officer had the ability to be granted "Bevert" ranks for such actions, thus you had cases like Colonel, Bevert General, George Custer. He made Bevert General for his actions in the Civil War (His Brother Lt Custer, who would die with him at the Little Big Horn had been awarded the Medal of Honor twice during the Civil war). George Custer himself never received the Medal of Honor, just Bevert Ranks above his permanent rank of Colonel.

Thomas Custer earned his first Medal of Honor as a Corporal in 1863, his Second as a First Lieutenant under his Brother's command in 1865 (please note there is some confusion as to the first award, one source says 1863, another says 1865 but both says he was a 2nd lieutenant in a Calvary unit, which he only became in 1864, in 1863 he was a corporal in an Infantry Unit).

More on the Medal of Honor
http://www.cmohs.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medal_of_Honor

More on Thomas Custer:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Custer

More on Beverts:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brevet_(military)

Just comments on this officer eligibility for the Medal of Honor for his actions in Gettysburg.

List of Civil War Medal of Honor Winners (Which shows Thomas Custer winning the medal in 1863 and 1865 but both time as member of the Calvary NOT the Infantry):
http://www.history.army.mil/html/moh/civwaral.html