Signed as a U.S. Army surgeon with Ohio Infantry, a first for women.
On September 21, 1863, Mary Edwards Walker signed a contract to serve as a "Contract Acting Assistant Surgeon" with the U.S. Army, assigned to the 52nd Ohio Infantry. This appointment made her the first female surgeon employed by the U.S. Army. Walker's role was groundbreaking, shattering barriers for women in medicine and the military, paving the way for future generations.