The Woman Who Wore the Pants: Dr. Mary Edwards Walker

By Michael Webster

She wore the trousers of a man and the Congressional Medal of Honor of a soldier.

Dr. Mary Edwards Walker (1832-1919) was a woman of relentless paradox: a licensed physician, a daring Civil War surgeon, and the first-and only-woman to receive the nation's highest military decoration. Yet, her uncompromising refusal to obey 19th-century gender norms made her a public pariah.

This definitive biography traces her life from radical Upstate New York roots to the battlefields where she was captured by Confederate forces, and through the decades she spent defying public ridicule as a tireless advocate for dress reform and suffrage. It examines her complex roles as Physician, Soldier, and Reformer, revealing how her absolute commitment to constitutional liberty cost her everything-including the temporary revocation of her medal-but ultimately cemented her legacy.

A century after her death, Dr. Walker's story remains an unparalleled testament to the courage of uncompromising self-definition. Approx.176 pages, 33600 word count

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0G2YGQZB5
• ISBN13: 9798232004927
• Release Date: November 2025
• Publisher: Michael Webster
• Length: 176 Pages
• Weight: 0.46 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.5" x 8.5"