Amanda Shelton's diary tells the remarkable story of her service as a nurse for the Union on the frontlines of the Civil War in 1864, where she battled for her career amidst wounded and dying soldiers. Unlike Clara Barton or Mary Ann Bickerdyke, Shelton's name is rarely mentioned in tandem with other important female figures of this episode in history, yet her diary definitively recounts the unique contribution she made to the war effort. Working alongside the small band of nurses of the Special Diet Kitchens, her accomplishments laid the foundation for the value of individualised care, which remains a core concept in modern nursing.