Here's the story of Dr. Mary Edwards Walker — a shotgun-wielding legend who is the only woman ever to win the Medal of Honor

• Since its creation during the Civil War, the Medal of Honor has been awarded to more than 3,500 men.
• But only one woman has received the prestigious award: Dr. Mary Edwards Walker.
• One of the first women to become a medical doctor in the US, Walker volunteered to treat wounded Union soldiers and even spent four months as a Confederate prisoner of war.

After the war, President Andrew Johnson presented her with the Medal of Honor to recognize her dedication and loyalty to the US.

Walker became known for her "radical" views on women's rights and was regarded as a living legend.

Her medal was rescinded in the early 20th century because of changes in the award's regulations, but she refused to give it up and wore it until she died in 1919. 

Mary Walker was born in 1832 in Oswego, New York.

Her parents were abolitionists, and they encouraged her to flaunt the rules of women's fashion. She soon began wearing pants, a habit that continued into her adult life.

In 1855, Walker graduated from Syracuse Medical College and became a doctor.

When the Civil War broke out in 1861, Walker was barred from being an Army surgeon because she was a woman. She volunteered instead, working without pay at hospitals in Washington, DC, and Virginia.

Walker spent four months as a Confederate prisoner of war in Richmond, Virginia.

Despite her service tending to Union Army wounded and her imprisonment, Walker received a smaller pension than that given to war widows.

President Andrew Johnson presented her with the Medal of Honor in November 1865 to thank her for her contributions and her loyalty.