The National tribune., 1909-01-28
LIEUT.. CUSHING At NeE41YsnunG.
The Heroic Fight OF TpF Battery Against
Picketts Charge.

Picketts charge.
Editor National Tribune: 1 have
| been much Interested Ia Capt. Cowan's
statements as to thednzttle OF Gettys-
burg, and especially whist; he has to
say about Lieut.. Cushing. INwao was in
command of Battery "A. 4th U. s. Art,
at that time, for this reason:
1 have before me y brist history of
the part taken by the 14th Conn. in
that battle, written by H, s. Stevens,
who was Chaplain Of the regiment, and
in said history find copy of a letter
which he, Stevens had fn his possess
sion at the time Of writing (history
published in 1880, and as it CORE
to some extent, 1 copy said letter and
send to you Now, if Comrade Stevens
had such letter written by Capt. Fu-
ger 1t would seem to put lifferent
version on the actions Of Battery 4,
4th u. 8. Art, and of Lieut.. Cush-
ins's death on July 8. 1883. than what
We have in some of our histories.-
VIM. Fl. Morgan. Madison. Conn.
But tho best testimony and ire
possession written by Lieut.. (now Cap
tain) Frederick Fuger, OF the 4th u.
8. Art. who was Cushing's Sergeant
at the time of the battle. 1t Is intcrest-
ing as throwing light upon the ioings
of the batteries and as giving the true
version of the death of Lieut.. Cushing.
"Fuger writes: 'on the morning Of
July 8, 1888, Battery "A fCushing's)
occupied q position with their six guns
about $50 feet from the stone wall,
which was directly in front, and we
kept that position until tiss artillery
had ceased on both sides After the
firing ceased Gen. Webb came up to
where Gushing stood and said to Cush-
ing: ut is my opinion the rebels will
position in force" Gushing replied:
Then 1 had better run my guns right
up to the stone fence and bring up all
the canister alongside of each piece"
To which Gen. Webb said: do So"
The command was Immediately
given, and the six guns were rum by
hand to the stone fence, leaving just
wheels for cannoneers Nos. / and to
load. At this time Lieut.. Cushing was
not wounded. Within 10 or 20 minutes
after we had our guns in the new posi-.
ton the infantry were seen advancing.
The 72d Pa. were directly in our front
on the skirnish line, and were obliged
to fall back as the enemy advanced in
masked by the 72d Pa. and the encmy
were within 400 yards OF us. we COM
menced firing single charges Of canis-
ter, and at about that time Lieut.. Cush-
ing was wounded in the right shoulder
(Gen. Webb says the right shoulder
strap was shot completely OF, yet not
wounding him-) When the eneamy
came within 200 yards we fred double
charges Of canister with terrible effect.
Cushing about this time was again
wounded in the groin, but still he stuck
to his post, and would not leave the
battery. All this time was right
alongside of Cushing. and impaired his
orders to the men. Still the enemy ad
vanced. and Cushing ordered the men
to triple the charges in the guns. While
finishing the command he was shot
thru the mouth and instantly killed.
At this time he was about one yard
from the trail hand spike, and 10 the
right Of 1t, IL being No. 3iof the bat
terry. I stood to his right about two
feet from him, w.th my pistol In my
right hand. When saw the Lieuten-
ant fall forward I dropped my pistol.
and caught him around ths body with
both arms. 1 saw that he was dead,
and ordered Wright. Of the battery. to
carry Cushing'e body to the'rear. Lieut..
Nelson. who had command of the left
half OF our battery, war Killed Just a
moment before Gushing. which left me
in command. The insinuati,n of his
tory that but one gun vas run down
to the wall Is wrong. The report that
Lieut. Cushing's bowels were shot out
is all nonsense. Again, Lieut.. Gushing
never fred a gun; thsre was no occa-
sion for him-to do SO. We mad enough
men left to do that The Lieutenant
had enough to do to watch the enemy
and give the necessary commands. Al
ter sending Cushing's bcdy 30 'ne rear
fired a few rounds of can'stsr- When
the enemy was almost on to- Of us
ceased firing. and told the Inel 20 pitch
in with anything they had Ia their
and handspikes, which I an glad to
say they did In grand style. minute
and ali was over; the rebels retreat
ed"