Mary Edwards Walker (1832 - 1919)

Born 26 Nov 1832 in Oswego, New York, United States

Ancestors

Wife of Albert Miller — married 1856 (to 1869) in Rome, Oneida, New York, United States

Died 21 Feb 1919 at age 86 in Oswego, New York, United States

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Mary Walker participated in American Civil War. Join: Military and War Project Discuss: Military_and_War

Biography

Mary Walker was awarded the Medal of Honor.

Dr. Mary Walker was a Prisoner of War during the American Civil War.

Mary served as a nurse at the First Battle of Bull Run and in Washington, D.C., but then as an unpaid field surgeon. Honored for eternity: In Memoriam

Mary Walker is Notable.

Dr. Mary Edwards Walker was a medical doctor who is the only woman to receive the United States Congressional Medal of Honor. ^{[1] [2]} When the Civil War began, Mary sought a commission with the Union Army as a surgeon. This was denied because she was a woman.^[2] Not wishing to serve as a nurse because of her qualifications, she opted to volunteer for the Union Army as an unpaid surgeon. ^[2] She served at the First Battle of Bull Run (Manassas), July 21, 1861, and at the Patent Office Hospital in Washington, D.C. ^[1] She worked as an unpaid field surgeon near the Union front lines, including at the Battle of Fredericksburg and in Chattanooga after the Battle of Chickamauga.^[1] Mary was captured and held as a civilian prisoner of war at Castle Thunder in Richmond, Virginia. She was later released in a prisoner exchange.^{[2] [1]}

Civil War Army MOH

Citation: Battle of Bull Run, July 21, 1861; Patent Office Hospital, Washington, D.C., October 1861; Chattanooga, Tenn., following Battle of Chickomauga, September 1863; Prisoner of War, April 10, 1864-August 12, 1864, Richmond, Va.; Battle of Atlanta, September 1864 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 Major-Generals 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, President (Medal rescinded 1917 along with 910 others, restored by President Carter 10 June 1977.)'^[3]

Mary Walker was a New Yorker.

Mary was born in 1832 in the Town of Oswego, New York, on November 26, 1832, the daughter of Alvah and Vesta Walker. She was the youngest of seven children. ^{[2] [1]}

Mary graduated medical school in June 1855, at 21 years old, she was the only woman in her class, and the second female doctor in the nation. ^{[2] [1]} Mary married Albert Miller, a physician and they began a joint practice. ^[1]

At the beginning of the American Civil War, she volunteered for the Union Army as a civilian.^[2] The U.S. Army had no female surgeons, and at first she was only allowed to practice as a nurse. During this period, she served at the First Battle of Bull Run (Manassas), July 21, 1861, and at the Patent Office Hospital in Washington, D.C. She worked as an unpaid field surgeon near the Union front lines, including at the Battle of Fredericksburg and in Chattanooga after the Battle of Chickamauga.^{[2] [1]} As a suffragette, she was happy to see women serving as soldiers and alerted the press to the case of Frances Hook in Ward 2 of the Chattanooga hospital, a woman who served in the Union forces disguised as a man.

Castle Thunder Prison

Read more about how Mary defied social conventions.

Wikidata: Item Q2418031

Mary Edwards Miller is buried at Rural Cemetery, Oswego, New York, with her parents and four of her siblings. ^[4]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7} Wikipedia accessed March 29, 2018
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7} "Meet Dr. Mary Walker, by Katie Lange, accessed 29 March 2018)
3. ↑ Congressional Medal of Honor Society Dr. Mary Walker
4. ↑ FindAGrave (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/23089/mary-edwards-walker)

See also:

• Medal of Honor News Mary Walker
• National Institute of Health Changing the Face of Medicine: Dr. Mary Walker
• "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-267-12149-141325-64?cc=1401638 : accessed 10 March 2016), New York > Oswego > Oswego township > image 26 of 59; citing NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

• "New York State Census, 1865," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVNJ-D293 : accessed 11 March 2016), Mary E Walker in household of Alvah H Walker, District 01, Oswego, Oswego, New York, United States; citing source p. 42, line 4, household ID 280, State Library, Albany; FHL microfilm 857,438

• "United States Census, 1870," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-267-11050-185202-54?cc=1438024 : accessed 11 March 2016), New York > Oswego > Oswego Town > image 59 of 78; citing NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

• "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M6CH-N75 : 24 August 2017), Mary E Walker in household of Catherine Hurley, Washington, Washington, District of Columbia, United States; citing enumeration district ED 64, sheet 396D, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm 1,254,123.

• "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-267-11777-142120-83?cc=1325221 : accessed 10 March 2016), New York > Oswego > ED 135 Oswego Township (west part) > image 8 of 28; citing NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

• "New York State Census, 1905," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:SP6C-PKP : 27 January 2020), Mary E Walker, Oswego, E.D. 01, Oswego, New York; citing p. 24, line 25, various county clerk offices, New York; FHL microfilm 1,017,602.

• "United States Census, 1910 database with images, FamilySearch, (accessed 10 March 2016), New York > Oswego > Oswego > ED 146 > image 26 of 28; citing NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

• "United States General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJDP-1V2B : 13 March 2018), Mary E Walker, 1873.

• "United States Veterans Administration Pension Payment Cards, 1907-1933," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939K-Z94M-R?cc=1832324&wc=M6RB-T6X%3A163056101 : 22 May 2014), Walker, Madison M. - Walker, Ruth Margaret > image 272 of 788; citing NARA microfilm publication M850 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

• "United States Deceased Physician File (AMA), 1864-1968," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9QP-KJQD?cc=2061540&wc=M6YD-7TL%3A353119101 : 8 August 2019), Walker, Benjamin Ulysses-Walton, Roy Atkinson > image 993 of 3018; American Medical Association, Chicago.

• "Mary Walker." National Park Service, www.nps.gov. Accessed 1 Oct 2020.

• "20 Suffragists To Know for 2020." NPS: Women's History. National Park Service (www.nps.gov). Accessed 1 Oct 2020.