The only female Medal of Honor recipient

[Bucky]

Mary Edwards Walker 1832-1919

A physician in general medical practice long before Dr. Quinn, Dr. Walker served her country with distinction as a civilian field nurse (& later field surgeon when the manpower started running a little short) during the American Civil War. She crossed enemy lines sometimes to treat civilians and it was during one of these excursions that she was captured by Confederate authorities and imprisoned as a spy. She was probably guilty as charged. Dr. Walker was swapped out in a prisoner exchange four months later and continued to serve in combat zones for the rest of the war.

When Generals William T Sherman and George H Thomas put her in for the Medal of Honor, she had to be quickly breveted into a military position to become eligible. They specifically pointed out her services at the First Battle of Bull Run--the anniversary of which will be Tuesday.

Two years before her death, on the eve of the World War in 1917, Congress tightened down the restrictions for awarding the Medal of Honor--including a provision that recipients had to serve in actual combat (not just a combat zone)--and subsequently recinded almost a thousand Medals of Honor already awarded, including Dr. Walker's. She refused to turn it in.

During her lifetime Walker showed similar gallantry. She was an outspoken social critic who agitated for women's rights, women's clothing reform (note her atire above), health care, and temperance. She only wore men's clothing starting in the 1870s, long before Yentl. In 1977 Jimmy Carter reinstated her Medal of Honor.

You can read more about Mary Edwards Walker (and see a close up of her Medal of Honor) at the National Institute of Health.

[kestrel91316]

1. More deeply buried women's history come to light..............

[cmkramer]

8. Les Kinsolving

who is a conservative talk show host in Baltimore (last I heard anyway) and who is also a White House correspondent (he's the senior gentleman who wears the red jacket and always asks crazy questions) used to talk about Dr. Walker and her Congressional Medal of Honor -- he thought the rescinding was appropriate -- often.

[DELUSIONAL]

2. Thank you -- I am always interesting in learning more about our

foremothers -- the feminists who made our lives easier. WE owe them a huge debt.

[Lex]

4. Yes, standing on the shoulders of the shoulders of those

who worked hard before we came along.

[oasis]

3. Thanks.

:hi:

[man4allcats]

5. Interesting post

about an interesting woman. :thumbsup:

[Phrogman]

6. Why did people pose with the hand inside the jacket back then?

I've always wondered about this and now is a good a time as any to ask.

Does anybody know?

[readmoreoften]

7. And indeed buried in transgender history.

Like her beautiful butch sisters. (Even though ME Walker was a straight transvestite, according to all known records, aspects of her life are archived by LGBT sources)


M. E. Walker
http://sfpl.lib.ca.us/news/onlineexhibits/out/public-private.htm


Some Contemporaries (some a little later)
http://www.sappho.com/vintage/ButchFemmeParty.html
http://www.sappho.com/vintage/DollieAndMabel.html
http://www.sappho.com/vintage/CrossDress02.html