Dr. Mary Walker
What is your persona name?
Dr. Mary Walker
What role do you portray?
I am a surgeon for
What is your real name?
Deborah R. Gage
What do you do in real life?
I am a student of liscensed ministry.
How long have you been reenacting?
I have been reenacting since 1992 and as Mary Walker 1995
What is the history behind the person you portray?
Mary Walker was born in Oswago, N.Y. one of five children. Her father was a �free thinker� and because of health reasons read a lot of medical journals. He brought his four daughters up the same as his son in abilities and education. They were permitted to discard the corset and wear men�s britches under their skirts at home.
When she attempted to become a doctor she found that the world did not view women as equals. She was ridiculed because she wore men�s pants and a tunic style dress over them. In spite of this, she graduated from Syracuse University fourth in her class. Syracuse University was well known for their teaching of herbal remedies and other surgeons were concerned that she did not receive enough training in �traditional� medicine. So she did additional training in Cincinnati, Ohio where her aunt lived.
She married a classmate just before the war broke out but the marriage soon fell apart. She traveled to Iowa in hopes of getting a divorce quietly so as not to embarrass their respective well-to-do families. She stayed with a friend of the family, Judge A. E. house and began her collegiate studies at Hopkinton College and apprentice with a local doctor.
In one of her classes she unearthed the fact that the instructor was not qualified to teach the class. Classmates however, found she was interested in public speaking and asked her to be on the speech team at the college. The college refused to allow a woman on the team. Mary�s classmates formed a demonstration downtown Hopkinton that turned into a riot. Everyone was kicked out of college. While the men were permitted to return later, Mary Walker was asked not to return.
She returned to New York after one year without her divorce just before the war began. She wrote several letters to President Lincoln about joining the army as a surgeon. The Surgeon General objected strongly to the inclusion of a woman on the surgical staff and so Mary walker was refused.
Mary was not a person to take no for an answer. She returned home and created a uniform similar to the Vivandieres� uniform with a short shirt, uniform jacket and pants.
The idea was that from across the field you could still tell she was a lady but, still the uniform permitted ease of movement.
She set out on her own to find a unit in need of a surgeon. She found 42nd Ohio Infantry. General Daniel McCook told her she could stay and replace the surgeon they had lost as long as she could do the work and keep up with the company.
She worked as a surgeon with this unit until one day she had written a letter to her father, who was ailing, and went into a town near Chickamauga. Unbeknown to her the Confederates had taken over the town. Mary was captured and was sent to Virginia in a prisoner of war camp. She was exchanged for a Confederate General.
Dr. Mary Walker returned to Washington City where she worked as a surgeon until the end of the war. President Lincoln and Mrs. Lincoln thought highly of Dr. Walker and she was invited to the Whitehouse to attend several functions. She attended these functions in a beautiful silk green tunic and pant outfit. While this was a modest attire it was not received well by the ladies in their hoop skirts.
She was recommended by General Sherman for the Medal of Honor. She was awarded the Medal of Honor after the death of President Lincoln. Later the Congress tried to take the medal back. Mary refused to do so stating that she had �earned it the same as any man.�
Dr. Mary Walker passed away six months before women got the right to vote in 1912.
Why did you pick this role to portray?
.I found her by accident when I was doing some research about women in the Civil War. I have talked to historians that have done research and published papers and articles about Mary Walker. I was able to meet her last living relatives several times. I have been told I am not an ordinary person and I share many traits with Mary Walker. I had to research her clothing because she did not wear what was common for other ladies wore. In preparing for this role you learned what it was like for her. Even today men tend to have a problem with women doctors in reenacting and I draw a lot of criticism.
What would you like to tell our audience about what you do at a reenactment?
This is a reenactment of what it was like during the Civil War to the best of our knowledge and research. It is a teaching and learning experience about a different time in our history. It was a completely different life than we know today,
What is your favorite reenactment and why?
A national event where reenactors from all over the United States came, because you are surprised with how many people you know are there. Also because of the friendships you develop and the information you share with others. It is overwhelming at times. Standing on a hill you can sense what it was like for a soldier. You want to flee but, you stay because your feet won�t move because you are so scared. Walking out of your tent to watch the mist roll in and you feel like you are in a time warp.
