1 00:00:01,920 --> 00:00:06,680 Speaker 1: Welcome to Brainstuff, a production of iHeart Radio, Hey brain 2 00:00:06,720 --> 00:00:10,640 Speaker 1: Stuff Lauren Vogelbaum. Here. In the a hundred and fifty 3 00:00:10,680 --> 00:00:13,360 Speaker 1: nine year history of the Medal of Honor, the United 4 00:00:13,400 --> 00:00:17,239 Speaker 1: States highest military award for valor in combat, more than 5 00:00:17,320 --> 00:00:20,760 Speaker 1: three thousand, five hundred people have received the prestigious prize. 6 00:00:21,280 --> 00:00:23,320 Speaker 1: Only one of them so far has been a woman. 7 00:00:23,800 --> 00:00:28,200 Speaker 1: Mary Edwards Walker born in Oswego, New York, in eighteen 8 00:00:28,240 --> 00:00:32,440 Speaker 1: thirty two. Walker has achieved legendary status as a pioneering surgeon, 9 00:00:32,640 --> 00:00:36,160 Speaker 1: women's rights advocate, and abolitionist, who was also the first 10 00:00:36,240 --> 00:00:40,159 Speaker 1: female US Army surgeon during the Civil War. Walker was 11 00:00:40,200 --> 00:00:43,519 Speaker 1: the fifth daughter born to Dr Alva and Vesta Whitcomb. Walker, 12 00:00:43,840 --> 00:00:48,520 Speaker 1: abolitionists who encouraged their girls to be free thinkers rather 13 00:00:48,560 --> 00:00:51,600 Speaker 1: than conformed to the societal and style norms of the era. 14 00:00:52,080 --> 00:00:56,560 Speaker 1: Walker chewed skirts and corsets and preferred bloomer pants, but 15 00:00:56,680 --> 00:01:00,440 Speaker 1: her independent ideas weren't confined to fashion. All the later 16 00:01:00,520 --> 00:01:03,640 Speaker 1: media reports couldn't seem to stop obsessing about her wardrobe, 17 00:01:04,840 --> 00:01:07,640 Speaker 1: and despite the fact that women were discouraged from entering 18 00:01:07,640 --> 00:01:10,920 Speaker 1: the traditionally male medical field, Walker knew she wanted to 19 00:01:10,959 --> 00:01:14,320 Speaker 1: be a doctor and enrolled at Syracuse Medical College now 20 00:01:14,360 --> 00:01:18,040 Speaker 1: known as Upstate Medical University, graduating in eighteen fifty five 21 00:01:18,120 --> 00:01:20,880 Speaker 1: with a Doctor of Medicine degree. She was only the 22 00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:24,679 Speaker 1: second woman to ever graduate from the school, after Elizabeth Blackwell. 23 00:01:25,720 --> 00:01:29,120 Speaker 1: Walker soon started a private practice in Columbus, Ohio, before 24 00:01:29,160 --> 00:01:32,000 Speaker 1: returning to New York, where she married fellow physician Albert 25 00:01:32,000 --> 00:01:36,839 Speaker 1: Miller a few years later. The Civil War erupted. Soon 26 00:01:36,920 --> 00:01:39,959 Speaker 1: after the war broke out in eighteen sixty one, Walker 27 00:01:40,040 --> 00:01:42,920 Speaker 1: tried to join the Union's efforts as a surgeon in Washington, 28 00:01:43,000 --> 00:01:47,199 Speaker 1: d c. But was turned away because she was a woman. Undeterred, 29 00:01:47,360 --> 00:01:50,640 Speaker 1: she took an unpaid position as the only female volunteer 30 00:01:50,680 --> 00:01:54,000 Speaker 1: surgeon in the U. S. Patent Office Hospital. In eighteen 31 00:01:54,040 --> 00:01:56,640 Speaker 1: sixty two, she earned a degree from the New York 32 00:01:56,720 --> 00:02:00,280 Speaker 1: High Geotherapeutic College, and when she returned to volunteer ring, 33 00:02:00,520 --> 00:02:03,400 Speaker 1: she worked on the battlefield in tent hospitals in Warrington 34 00:02:03,480 --> 00:02:08,040 Speaker 1: and Fredericksburg, Virginia. The following fall, Walker was appointed assistant 35 00:02:08,040 --> 00:02:12,440 Speaker 1: surgeon in the Army of the Cumberland in Tennessee. In 36 00:02:12,480 --> 00:02:15,600 Speaker 1: April eighteen sixty four, Walker was captured as a spy 37 00:02:15,760 --> 00:02:18,760 Speaker 1: by Confederate troops after she had crossed battle lines to 38 00:02:18,800 --> 00:02:22,560 Speaker 1: help a Confederate doctor with surgery. But we spoke by 39 00:02:22,639 --> 00:02:25,959 Speaker 1: email with Kelly R. Hancock, public programs manager at the 40 00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:30,400 Speaker 1: American Civil War Museum. She said Mary was imprisoned at 41 00:02:30,440 --> 00:02:34,119 Speaker 1: Richmond's Castle Thunder, which was a prison primarily for Richmond's 42 00:02:34,160 --> 00:02:39,480 Speaker 1: own unruly civilians, prostitutes, unionists, and deserters. And since Mary 43 00:02:39,480 --> 00:02:42,079 Speaker 1: Walker was a woman and Castle Thunder had one of 44 00:02:42,120 --> 00:02:45,720 Speaker 1: its warehouses designated for women prisoners, Mary was kept there 45 00:02:45,760 --> 00:02:48,600 Speaker 1: for four months from April twenty one to August twelfth, 46 00:02:48,800 --> 00:02:51,080 Speaker 1: when she was released in a prisoner of war exchange. 47 00:02:52,400 --> 00:02:56,280 Speaker 1: According to Hancock, Richmond's prisons were anything but pleasant. She 48 00:02:56,400 --> 00:03:00,760 Speaker 1: explained they were crowded, poorly ventilated, and disease written. In 49 00:03:00,840 --> 00:03:03,280 Speaker 1: a city in which their own citizens were having trouble 50 00:03:03,280 --> 00:03:08,639 Speaker 1: putting food on the table, prisons received scant rations. Hancock 51 00:03:08,720 --> 00:03:12,160 Speaker 1: says newspapers later described Walker as being worse for the wear. 52 00:03:12,320 --> 00:03:15,920 Speaker 1: When she was released, she said, what strikes me most 53 00:03:15,919 --> 00:03:18,280 Speaker 1: about her time in Richmond is that every time she's 54 00:03:18,320 --> 00:03:21,720 Speaker 1: mentioned in the newspapers, the press comments on her appearance, 55 00:03:22,040 --> 00:03:25,320 Speaker 1: especially on her dress, the fact that she was dressed 56 00:03:25,360 --> 00:03:28,400 Speaker 1: like a man, or in man's attire was extremely shocking. 57 00:03:29,200 --> 00:03:31,960 Speaker 1: Mary refuted the claims that she was wearing male clothing 58 00:03:32,160 --> 00:03:34,920 Speaker 1: because she was not. She was wearing her own clothing, 59 00:03:35,880 --> 00:03:39,120 Speaker 1: which is true. In order to do her demanding job 60 00:03:39,200 --> 00:03:42,360 Speaker 1: during the war, Walker had modified the bloomer trend of 61 00:03:42,360 --> 00:03:45,720 Speaker 1: the eighteen fifties, which consisted of a shorter, full skirt 62 00:03:45,920 --> 00:03:50,040 Speaker 1: worn over loose trousers. Instead, she designed and created her 63 00:03:50,080 --> 00:03:53,200 Speaker 1: own medical uniform, a mid length skirt worn over a 64 00:03:53,200 --> 00:03:58,000 Speaker 1: pair of trousers and a buttoned coat. Not only was 65 00:03:58,040 --> 00:04:01,560 Speaker 1: the media critical of Walker's clothing, but reporters were merciless 66 00:04:01,600 --> 00:04:05,680 Speaker 1: about her overall appearance. Hancock said the press was also 67 00:04:05,880 --> 00:04:09,040 Speaker 1: very critical of her looks, calling her ugly and skinny, 68 00:04:09,200 --> 00:04:12,040 Speaker 1: which at the time was not a compliment. I think 69 00:04:12,040 --> 00:04:15,240 Speaker 1: this disparagement is primarily due to the resentment over her 70 00:04:15,320 --> 00:04:18,240 Speaker 1: stepping outside of what was socially acceptable for a woman 71 00:04:18,279 --> 00:04:22,520 Speaker 1: to be and do. Walker was released from prison in 72 00:04:22,560 --> 00:04:25,880 Speaker 1: August of eighteen sixty four, and just one month later 73 00:04:25,920 --> 00:04:29,600 Speaker 1: became the assistant surgeon of the Ohio fifty second Infantry. 74 00:04:30,000 --> 00:04:33,000 Speaker 1: Soon after that, she began supervising a hospital for female 75 00:04:33,040 --> 00:04:37,320 Speaker 1: prisoners and later oversaw operations at an orphanage. In eighteen 76 00:04:37,360 --> 00:04:41,320 Speaker 1: sixty five, Walker formally retired from government service, and later 77 00:04:41,360 --> 00:04:44,320 Speaker 1: that year President Andrew Johnson awarded her the Medal of 78 00:04:44,360 --> 00:04:48,120 Speaker 1: Honor from Meritorious Service, making her the first female recipient. 79 00:04:49,360 --> 00:04:52,200 Speaker 1: Hancock said, as far as why she is still the 80 00:04:52,240 --> 00:04:54,640 Speaker 1: only woman to receive a Medal of Honor, I think 81 00:04:54,720 --> 00:04:57,360 Speaker 1: this is largely due to the fact that Congress changed 82 00:04:57,400 --> 00:05:00,360 Speaker 1: the requirements for the medal, making it available only two 83 00:05:00,400 --> 00:05:03,400 Speaker 1: people in the Armed services who have been in active combat. 84 00:05:04,120 --> 00:05:07,080 Speaker 1: Until fifteen, there was a band on women serving in 85 00:05:07,160 --> 00:05:10,800 Speaker 1: active combat, and women were not integrated into combat positions 86 00:05:10,920 --> 00:05:15,240 Speaker 1: until January. That was only four years ago. There just 87 00:05:15,320 --> 00:05:18,279 Speaker 1: has not been enough time or opportunity for another woman 88 00:05:18,320 --> 00:05:22,440 Speaker 1: to be awarded a Medal of Honor. In addition to 89 00:05:22,560 --> 00:05:25,560 Speaker 1: her groundbreaking work as a physician, Walker is known for 90 00:05:25,600 --> 00:05:30,360 Speaker 1: her advocacy around women's rights. She was perhaps obviously an 91 00:05:30,360 --> 00:05:34,039 Speaker 1: outspoken proponent of dress reform, and was even arrested in 92 00:05:34,040 --> 00:05:37,760 Speaker 1: New Orleans in eighteen seventy for dressing like a man, although, 93 00:05:37,920 --> 00:05:41,640 Speaker 1: as Hancock points out, Walker was indeed wearing her own clothing. 94 00:05:42,680 --> 00:05:45,520 Speaker 1: Walker was also a suffragist campaigned for the U. S. 95 00:05:45,520 --> 00:05:48,280 Speaker 1: Senate in eighteen eighty one and ran as a Democratic 96 00:05:48,320 --> 00:05:52,320 Speaker 1: candidate for Congress in eighteen ninety. Despite her losses, she 97 00:05:52,440 --> 00:05:55,040 Speaker 1: testified in front of the U. S. House of Representatives 98 00:05:55,040 --> 00:05:59,520 Speaker 1: in support of women's right to vote. In nineteen seventeen, 99 00:05:59,680 --> 00:06:02,600 Speaker 1: the term arms designating eligibility for Medal of Honor were 100 00:06:02,640 --> 00:06:06,560 Speaker 1: reappraised and Walker's name, along with several others, was removed 101 00:06:06,600 --> 00:06:09,440 Speaker 1: from the list of awardees, and it took until nineteen 102 00:06:09,480 --> 00:06:12,520 Speaker 1: seventy seven for a congressional reappraisal of her achievements to 103 00:06:12,520 --> 00:06:16,960 Speaker 1: restore the honor. In true Walker fashion, when the recognition 104 00:06:17,120 --> 00:06:21,080 Speaker 1: was initially rescinded, she refused to surrender the medal, and 105 00:06:21,200 --> 00:06:24,239 Speaker 1: she continued to wear it for the remainder of her life. 106 00:06:25,040 --> 00:06:28,520 Speaker 1: Walker died on February twenty one of nineteen nineteen in 107 00:06:28,600 --> 00:06:32,720 Speaker 1: her hometown of Oswego. Her legacy lives on today and 108 00:06:32,760 --> 00:06:37,760 Speaker 1: her spirit is captured in quotes like this one from 109 00:06:37,920 --> 00:06:41,480 Speaker 1: I Am the Original New Woman? Why before Lucy Stone, 110 00:06:41,720 --> 00:06:45,800 Speaker 1: Mrs Bloomer, Elizabeth Catty Stanton and Susan B. Anthony before 111 00:06:45,800 --> 00:06:49,320 Speaker 1: they were I Am? In the early forties when they 112 00:06:49,320 --> 00:06:52,560 Speaker 1: began their work in dress reform, I was already wearing pants. 113 00:06:53,120 --> 00:06:55,440 Speaker 1: I've made it possible for the bicycle girl to wear 114 00:06:55,440 --> 00:06:58,400 Speaker 1: the abbreviated skirt, and I have prepared the way for 115 00:06:58,440 --> 00:07:06,360 Speaker 1: the girl in knickerbockers m Today's episode was written by 116 00:07:06,360 --> 00:07:09,560 Speaker 1: Michelle Konstantinowski and produced by Tyler Clang. For more on 117 00:07:09,600 --> 00:07:11,800 Speaker 1: this and lots of other curious topics, visit how stuff 118 00:07:11,840 --> 00:07:14,120 Speaker 1: works dot com. Brain Stuff is a production of I 119 00:07:14,160 --> 00:07:17,040 Speaker 1: heart Radio. For more podcasts my heart Radio, visit the 120 00:07:17,040 --> 00:07:19,800 Speaker 1: i heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen 121 00:07:19,840 --> 00:07:20,840 Speaker 1: to your favorite shows.