Mary Edwards Walker

Caring for wounded soldiers and enduring captivity

Mary Edwards Walker was born in Oswego County, New York, on 26 November 1832. She graduated from Syracuse Medical College and trained as a physician at a time when the profession offered few places to women. When the Civil War began, she went to Washington and volunteered to care for soldiers.

She eventually secured a contract as an Army surgeon and worked with the 52nd Ohio Infantry. Confederate forces took her prisoner in 1864 while she was working as a surgeon. She spent about four months in captivity in Richmond before being exchanged. She resumed medical work and was assigned to care for women held at the military prison in Louisville, Kentucky.

On 11 November 1865, President Andrew Johnson ordered that she receive the Medal of Honor for her medical service and the hardships she endured. She later advocated for women’s rights, including suffrage and reform of women’s clothing. After an Army review struck her from the Medal of Honor Roll in 1917, she kept her original decoration. She died on 21 February 1919 in Oswego and was buried in Rural Cemetery. The Army restored the award in 1977.

Medal of Honor citation

Whereas it appears from official reports that Dr. Mary E. Walker, a graduate of medicine, "has rendered valuable service to the Government, and her efforts have been earnest and untiring in a variety of ways," and that she was assigned to duty and served as an assistant surgeon in charge of female prisoners at Louisville, Ky., upon the recommendation of Maj. Gens. Sherman and Thomas, and faithfully served as contract surgeon in the service of the United States, and has devoted herself with much patriotic zeal to the sick and wounded soldiers, both in the field and hospitals, to the detriment of her own health, and has also endured hardships as a prisoner of war four months in a Southern prison while acting as contract surgeon; and Whereas by reason of her not being a commissioned officer in the military service, a brevet or honorary rank cannot, under existing laws, be conferred upon her; and Whereas in the opinion of the President an honorable recognition of her services and sufferings should be made; It is ordered, That a testimonial thereof shall be hereby made and given to the said Dr. Mary E. Walker, and that the usual medal of honor for meritorious services be given her. Given under my hand in the city of Washington, D.C., this 11th day of November, A.D. 1865. ~ Andrew Johnson