Without a doubt, the Civil War was a dark time in American history. However, like most dark periods in history, heroes are often born during these difficult times. There were larger-than-life heroes, men like Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, and Robert E. Lee, and women like Clara Barton and Harriet Tubman. But there were also lesser-known heroes who, while not popular or published, were also amazing. One such hero was Mary Edwards Walker, a Civil War nurse and later surgeon, who may well have been born before her time. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Mary was born in November 1832 in Oswego, New York (Biography 1). Her father was a doctor and always believed that his daughters, all five, deserved to have the same education as the men of their time (Biography). She also felt that her daughters did not need to dress like most women, but that women's fashion was too restrictive and allowed them to dress in more masculine clothing. This was totally against the customs of the time, but neither father nor daughter seemed to mind. Mary decided to attend Syracuse Medical College in 1853. It was one of the first American medical schools and one of the few in the country to allow women to attend. Mary graduated from medical school in 1855 when she was only twenty-one! She and her husband attempted to open a practice in Rome, New York, but because people didn't seem to want to see a doctor, she eventually closed her doors. In 1861 the Civil War broke out and divided the country in two. Mary immediately wanted to contribute to the cause (Infoplease 1). She enlisted on the Union side, but they wouldn't let her become a military surgeon even though she was more than qualified (Biography 1). This, however, did not discourage her and she volunteered as an assistant surgeon at the US Paton Office Hospital in Washington (biography). She didn't stay there long, so she was transferred to the front lines and worked as a field surgeon alongside male doctors. It didn't take long for her to be recognized for her excellent work and in 1863 she became assistant surgeon to the Army of the Cumberland (Biography). She was the first ever female military surgeon, a true honor in that historical period. In 1864 Confederate troops captured her and sent her to prison claiming she was a spy (Wikipedia 1). To this day, no one knows whether she was actually a spy or not, but after four months she was released when the two sides agreed to exchange twenty-four Union doctors for seventeen Confederate doctors (Biography 1). She was known to be very happy to have been exchanged “man for man” during that exchange (Biography). She took great pride in being compared to her male contemporaries. In November 1865, Mary received a great privilege, the Congressional Medal of Honor for meritorious service. This was the only time before or since this medal was awarded to a woman, and one of the few medals awarded to civilians (Wikipedia 1). She was extremely proud of it and wore it every day until the day she died (Biography). She did so even though it was taken away in 1917 when Congress changed its standards to ensure that only those who had actually fought in battle could receive the award. In 1977 this decision was reversed and her medal status was reinstated, however, she died long before she knew it had been returned to her (biography). Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now .Get a custom essay Dr. Mary Edwards Walker was a true hero. Not just for what he did helping the soldiers.