Mary Walker: Civil War Surgeon and Feminist (Signature Lives: Civil War Era)

Dr. Mary Walker served as a surgeon with the Union Army during the American Civil War. She spied on Confederate troops and spent four months as a prisoner of war. In 1865, she was awarded the Medal of Honor, the highest military award given by the U.S. government, for her medical treatment of Union troops. Walker was also a prominent feminist. She led a movement to end the social restrictions on women's dress and campaigned to give women the right to vote. Walker also wrote several books on the role of women in society.