Dr. Mary Edwards Walker: The Woman in Bloomers
It was in bloomers that she turned up at hospitals, claiming to be a physician. Her appearance was offensive to some, amusing to others; at any rate, it prevented her from being hired as a doctor.
At the time I am writing this post, Google says that 3,519 American soldiers have had their acts of valor acknowledged with the U.S. Medal of Honor. Signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln in 1862, the Medal is awarded to troops who have placed their lives in great danger for the sake of their country.
It’s not surprising that the idea for such a decoration originated during the Civil War. It was a time when thousands of men were killed or gravely wounded. The Medal was designed “to be bestowed upon such petty officers, seamen, landsmen, and marines as shall most distinguish themselves by their gallantry in action and other seaman-like qualities during the present war…”
Of the 3,519 Americans who were awarded the Medal of Honor, only one was a woman. She was among the first to receive the Medal, and nearly lost it later.
The woman was not a soldier, but a physician, Dr. Mary Edwards Walker.
Though she did not fight with a gun, her life was a struggle to defend her own dignity and freedom.
Mary was born on November 26, 1832 to Alvah and Vesta Walker. She grew up in the small town of Oswego, New York, where her parents encouraged her to dream big. As a result, Mary grew up to be a fighter, unafraid of taking lonely paths.
She guarded her independence jealously, especially when her marriage failed. She had been married to a Dr. Arthur Miller, whom she met in medical school. Before long, she discovered that Arthur was having affairs with clients at the medical practice they shared. After Mary confronted him and asked for a divorce, he tried to convince her against it.
Arthur suggested what he considered to be a reasonable compromise: that she could go and have her ‘liaisons,’ while he continued to act like a bachelor. Mary was indignant by his response. Realizing that she was better off on her own, she divorced the man (not caring about the gossip that would follow), and never married again.
She refused to let someone else determine what she was.
At the start of the Civil War, Mary applied at several military hospitals to work as a surgeon. Though she presented certificates confirming her profession, she was not allowed to join the male physicians.
It could be that they did not wish to share their place at the top of the pyramid with a woman. However, Mary’s gender was not the only reason why they eyed her warily.
Her father, Alvah, was a man ahead of his time. He encouraged his daughters from childhood to wear bloomers under their skirts. He believed that this choice was not only comfortable, but also more hygienic.
Bloomers became a part of Mary’s everyday wardrobe, and she wore them throughout her life. It was in bloomers that she showed up at military hospitals, claiming to be a certified physician.
Mary’s appearance was offensive to some, amusing to others; at any rate, it prevented her from what she’d originally wanted, which was to serve as a surgeon.
I can imagine Mary’s frustration. She had received a quality education and possessed a certificate to prove it. She’d worked at a medical practice before offering her service to the military.
None of these things mattered to the overseers.
She could have taken her credentials and walked away, but Mary felt it was her moral duty to help suffering soldiers. She settled for the role of a nurse, swallowing her pride in order to bring relief to her countrymen.
Soldiers would remember Mary for the kindness with which she tended to them. When she later found herself caught up in controversy, they would send letters of support.
These letters would lift her spirits when she reached an old age. They reminded her that, in spite of the roadblocks, she’d done her duty and saved lives.
How did Mary Edwards Walker remain courageous in the face of condescension and mockery? It must have something to do with the way she was brought up.
Oswego was a small, isolated town when the Walkers lived there. Her parents, Alvah and Vesta, were unconventional—not only in how they raised their children, but also in their personal beliefs. They were strong abolitionists who did not let others tell them what to think. These were qualities Mary absorbed, and they guided her like a compass throughout her trying life.
Many families at that time were making the controversial choice to educate their daughters as well as their sons (the Alcotts were another family that believed in educating young ladies).
Alvah Walker made his own contribution to the town by building its first free school, opening it to boys and girls. Until that time, his own children had been studying at home. When his school was completed, they would enjoy learning in an environment where restrictions were fewer and possibilities, greater.
After Mary finished studying at her father’s school, she and her two sisters continued their education at Falley Seminary in Fulton, New York. Falley was unique because it promoted modern ideas regarding gender roles and hygiene.
Falley taught its students that, though they might have to fight for their dreams, they were attainable. Because of this, Mary decided she wanted to put her fascination with medicine to good use. She wanted to become a physician.
For a season, Mary worked as a schoolteacher, setting aside her earnings. She wanted to be prepared for her next challenge: the pursuit of a higher education. Once she’d collected sufficient funds, Mary studied medicine at Syracuse Medical College, where she was the only woman to graduate from her class.
She continued to wear her bloomers through all of this. The sight of them triggered mixed reactions from teachers and students alike. The Dress Reform movement had not yet caught on; even the suffragists fighting for the vote did not know what to make of her.
People gawked at as she walked the halls, and Mary was aware of whispers regarding her. She didn’t care one bit. She wore those bloomers, knowing that they would slow her progress in becoming a physician.
That alone merits a Medal of Honor: to swim against the current when everyone is against you, even those who profess the same ideals, requires courage.
Having suffering humiliation due to her husband’s infidelity, Mary resolved to rely on no one but herself. The Civil War provided her with an opportunity to start over. After it broke out, Mary packed her things. She left Oswego behind, along with the painful memories attached to it.
When Mary’s certificates did not move the hospital overseers, she refused to give up. She did not stop wearing bloomers, either. Instead, she decided to prove that she was just as capable of working as a surgeon.
She would show them with her actions that she could—and would—make a difference.
During the Civil War, amputations were disturbingly common among soldiers in the battlefield. They were performed with saws in tents where the conditions were fetid.
These ‘hospitals’ reeked with the stenches of blood, human waste, and death. To make matters worse, the amputations were often unnecessary. Some soldiers preferred to endure their wounds in secret, rather than be dragged to the surgeon’s tent, where they might die on the operating table.
Even though she was only a nurse, Mary began advising soldiers not to go to the surgical tent. She tended their wounds in secret, removing bullets and cleaning injuries. In this way, she saved many soldiers from unnecessary pain. She also ensured that their lives were not destroyed. It would be difficult for a soldier to find work after the war if he was missing a limb.
Mary’s request to become an Army surgeon was finally approved in 1863, making her the first female U.S. Army surgeon. She surprised everyone with her courage: she was unafraid to cross battle lines and tend to wounded Confederate soldiers.
After all, she reasoned, were they not all Americans?
Her presence was not always welcome, in spite of her good intentions. She was captured as a spy in April of 1864. Whether or not she was a spy is unclear; documents do not exist to confirm it.
After her arrest, Mary was sent to a former tobacco plantation that had been turned into a prison. It was ominously called Castle Thunder. Seldom was she allowed to tend to prisoners there, but when those opportunities came, resources were not brought to her. She would sometimes be forced to tear strips of cloth from her dress to use as bandages.
These acts of goodwill did not soften the guards’ treatment of her.
The extent of the abuse they inflicted on her is unknown. When she was older, Mary refused to speak about what took place during her time in prison.
When Mary was at last released, she had seen and heard enough despair to leave scars on her spirit. Her eyesight also suffered damage due to the poor lighting at Castle Thunder, a consequence that would complicate her work in medicine later.
The government never compensated her for these damages.
Castle Thunder might have harmed her eyesight, but it did not break her spirit. Mary returned from her imprisonment a stronger person than she’d been before.
Gone was any trace of fear about making her views known. She had already been unashamed to go about town in bloomers. Now, with the eyes of the world on her, they became more than a clothing item.
In time, other women would begin to wear bloomers. It’s safe to assume that they were encouraged because of Dr. Mary Edwards Walker, who had become notorious for donning them publicly. Several newspapers mocked her for this choice of attire, but she never allowed herself to be cowed by bullies.
For these acts of bravery and many others, Dr. Mary Edwards Walker was awarded the Medal of Honor in 1865. It became her most treasured item, and she wore it everywhere. She even paid for a photo shoot in which she was depicted wearing her Medal—and, of course, her bloomers.
The Medal of Honor was a new award when Mary earned it. During the first years of its introduction, there were fewer requirements to obtain it. As the years passed, the government added stipulations that must be met for a person to be eligible. Because of this, between the years 1916 and 1917, the Army removed at least nine hundred names from the Medal of Honor roll; among them was Mary’s.
Since these recipients were not required to return their medals, Mary continued to wear hers for the duration of her life. It was an act of defiance, as well as pride. She believed that she had earned her Medal, and the title could not be taken from her.
In 1977, the Army Board for Correction of Military Records reviewed her case. Her title was restored posthumously.
Mary remains the only female to have received a U.S. Medal of Honor.
Mary might not have been a soldier, and she might not meet the requirements for a Medal of Honor today. However, she is a hero; she made a tremendous difference in the lives of many soldiers.
After the Civil War, Mary’s life became steeped in controversy. Since she was unafraid of how others perceived her, she decided to become involved in politics. Her views were so unorthodox that even suffragists did not consider her a friend. Several women fighting for the vote felt threatened by her presence, perhaps because of the medal she wore. During their meetings, Mary would be forbidden from speaking or removed from the gathering.
As her life progressed, it seemed that she would never be taken seriously. This did not convince her to soften her tone; on the contrary, she was arrested multiple times for not shutting up and not dressing like a lady.
Mary Edwards Walker made herself heard, even if the world did not like what she was saying.
By the time of Mary’s death in 1919, the world had begun to respect her as a veteran. Most of the other suffragists had died; she was one of the few who remained. Mary was often invited to speak at events promoting gender equality.
She also wrote books about the human body that did not conceal facts about things like the reproductive system. Predictably, these books triggered scandal, but when had she been afraid of scandal? She believed it necessary for people to know how the body worked and why.
Mary spent her final years in Oswego. As an elderly woman, she would revisit newspaper articles that had been written about her. She would also read the letters from soldiers expressing their thanks.
She also cherished her Medal of Honor, though the title had been snatched away, not to be returned in her lifetime.
A 900-pound statue of Dr. Mary Edwards Walker was unveiled at her hometown in 2012. Her story continues to motivate young women to pursue their dreams, even if the world seems intent on pushing them back.
Dr. Mary Edwards Walker was a brave woman who endured humiliation, imprisonment, and mockery. None of these made a difference: she was never frightened enough to give up on her principles. The bullies could not win against her.
Let Mary’s story be a source of inspiration to every person who must fight for what they want, what they love, and what they believe in.
Author’s Note: If you’re enjoying my articles, consider supporting me as a writer by checking out my historical fantasy novels, The Sea Rose and The Sea King. Book one is currently 99c; book two is $3.99. They are both available on KU! ($3.99 can buy a used book as a resource, so I can continue writing articles for you!) Thank you for your time and continued support!
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Really interesting...
What a courageous woman. I had never heard of her before. And I had thought bloomers were sort of puffy white underpants, but it appears by the photos that they were simply pants under a skirt. It’s fascinating to me that that was so scandalous, but of course, wardrobes were much more strict for everyone.