On the other side of the battle: Russian nurses in the Crimean War

One redeeming feature that emerged from the horrors of the Crimean War was the skilled and compassionate nursing care provided by women. The work of Florence Nightingale and her nurses with the British forces is a familiar story. What is less well-known is that the fighting forces on the other side of the battle lines also had their contingent of nurses who helped to alleviate the suffering of their sick and wounded. This paper discusses the events leading up to the organization of Russia's volunteer nurses who provided care on their side of the battle.