Page 79 - JSOM Fall 2022

Women’s History Month

Women in US Military History

Gretchen Garceau-Kragh, RP, MEd, MBA

ach day during Women’s History Month in March, Army at the outbreak of the American
I highlighted women who made a significant con­ Civil War and was denied. She served
E tribution to the military on my social media chan­ as a surgeon at a temporary hospi­
nels. The intent of this effort was to recognize women tal in Washington, DC, before being
for their military service and to bring attention to the hired by Union Forces and assigned
barriers they faced in service to our country. By high­ to Army of the Cumberland and later
lighting these women, I hope to create a greater appre­ the 52nd Ohio Infantry, becoming the
ciation for their efforts and respect for women currently first female surgeon in the US Army.
serving. The selection is representative but not inclusive She was captured by Confederate
of all women who have served. forces after crossing enemy lines to treat wounded civil­
ians and arrested as a spy. She was sent as a prisoner of
war to Richmond, Virginia until released in a prisoner
PRIVATE CATHAY WILLIAMS exchange.
Source: US Army After the war, she was approved for the Medal of Honor,
PRIVATE CATHAY WILLIAMS was born for her efforts to treat the wounded in battle and across
a slave near Jefferson City, MO. enemy lines during the Civil War. Notably, the award
Cathay was the first known African was not expressly given for gallantry in action at that
American woman to serve in the US time, and in fact was the only military decoration during
Army, enlisting in 1866 under the the Civil War. In its 159­year history, Walker is still the
name “William Cathay” to hide the only woman to receive the medal and one of only eight
fact she was a woman. “The regiment civilians. Her name was deleted from the Army Medal
I joined wore the Zouave uniform and of Honor Roll in 1917 (along with over 900 other, male
only two persons, a cousin and a par­ MOH recipients); however, it was restored in 1977. Af­
ticular friend, members of the regiment, knew that I was ter the war, she was a writer and lecturer supporting the
a woman,” Williams said, according to Army archives. women’s suffrage movement until her death in 1919.
“They were partly the cause of my joining the Army. An­
other reason was I wanted to make my own living and
not be dependent on relations or friends.” Documents HARRIET TUBMAN
show Williams served alongside the men in her unit —
without being recognized as a woman — until she con­ In the mid­nineteenth century, HAR-
tracted smallpox and became ill. The disease caused her RIET TUBMAN (c. 1822–1913), a run­
to be in and out of military hospitals until it was discov­ away slave from Maryland, helped
ered she was female and immediately discharged. fellow enslaved African Americans
make their journey to freedom
through the Underground Railroad.
MARY EDWARDS WALKER In the Union Army, Tubman honed
her talents as spy, scout, nurse, and
DR MARY EDWARDS WALKER was an American abo­ sometimes guerilla solider. In her
litionist, prohibitionist, prisoner of war and surgeon. work with the Underground Railroad, she learned the
She is also the only woman to ever receive the Medal of landscape of southern towns and different transporta­
Honor. In 1855, she earned her medical degree at Syra­ tion routes, which proved to be invaluable intelligence
cuse Medical College in New York, married, and started to the Union Army. As a spy, Tubman disguised as an
a medical practice. She attempted to join the Union elderly woman and would wander unobserved through
Please see correspondence and bio information listed on page 83.

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