Lot Essay
Lady Sale was the wife of Major-General Sir Robert Henry 'Fighting Bob' Sale, appointed second-in-command of troops in Afghanistan following his successful storming of Kabul in August 1839. His wife and daughter joined him at Kabul in the spring of 1840 but were separated when Sale, having left Kabul to suppress the activities of the hill tribes and clear the surrounding passes, was unable to make the return journey from Jelalabad to Kabul, the forces in both towns finding themselves besieged.
At Kabul, the British forces, numbering four thousand five hundred men with over ten thousand camp followers, sought to break out in January 1842: 'The Affghans still tell us we are doomed, and warn us to be particularly cautious of our safety in going out of cantonments. Taj Mohammed says that Mrs Sturt [Lady Sale's daughter] and I must wear neemchees [sheepskin wraps] over our habits - common leather ones - and turbans, and ride mixed in with suwars [horsemen], not to go in palkees or keep near the other ladies, as they are very likely to be attacked ... we commenced our march at about mid-day ... the troops were in the greatest state of disorganisation: the bodyguards mixed in with the advanced guard; and the camp followers all pushed ahead in their precipitate flight towards Hindostan ... The ladies, collectively speaking, were placed with the advance, under the charge of the escort; but Mrs Sturt and I rode up to Capt. Hay, and mixed ourselves with his troops ... For myself, whilst I sat for hours on my horse in the cold, I felt very grateful for a tumbler of sherry, which at any other time would have made as very unlady-like, but now merely warmed me ... We had not proceeded half a mile when we were heavily fired upon ... I had fortunately only one ball in my arm; three others passed through my poshteen [sheepskin] near the shoulder without doing me any injury ... The main attack of the enemy was on the column, baggage, and rear guard; and fortunate it was for Mrs Sturt and myself that we kept with the chiefs.' (F. Sale, Journal of the disastrous Afghan War, London, 1843, pp. 218-38).
The British forces and their followers were routed within a few days of leaving Kabul. Lady Sale was amongst a small group of survivors taken prisoner. She was rescued by British forces in Kalu Pass on 17 September 1842. Her husband had in the meantime counter-attacked the Afghans at Jelalabad and raised the siege, returning to Kabul where he was reunited with his wife on 21 September.
The Sales returned to England in 1843 where Lady Sale prepared her journal for publication in the same year. They returned to India in March 1844. Sir Robert died of wounds received at the battle of Mudki in December 1845 and his widow retired to the hills in India and died in Cape Town in July 1853.
At Kabul, the British forces, numbering four thousand five hundred men with over ten thousand camp followers, sought to break out in January 1842: 'The Affghans still tell us we are doomed, and warn us to be particularly cautious of our safety in going out of cantonments. Taj Mohammed says that Mrs Sturt [Lady Sale's daughter] and I must wear neemchees [sheepskin wraps] over our habits - common leather ones - and turbans, and ride mixed in with suwars [horsemen], not to go in palkees or keep near the other ladies, as they are very likely to be attacked ... we commenced our march at about mid-day ... the troops were in the greatest state of disorganisation: the bodyguards mixed in with the advanced guard; and the camp followers all pushed ahead in their precipitate flight towards Hindostan ... The ladies, collectively speaking, were placed with the advance, under the charge of the escort; but Mrs Sturt and I rode up to Capt. Hay, and mixed ourselves with his troops ... For myself, whilst I sat for hours on my horse in the cold, I felt very grateful for a tumbler of sherry, which at any other time would have made as very unlady-like, but now merely warmed me ... We had not proceeded half a mile when we were heavily fired upon ... I had fortunately only one ball in my arm; three others passed through my poshteen [sheepskin] near the shoulder without doing me any injury ... The main attack of the enemy was on the column, baggage, and rear guard; and fortunate it was for Mrs Sturt and myself that we kept with the chiefs.' (F. Sale, Journal of the disastrous Afghan War, London, 1843, pp. 218-38).
The British forces and their followers were routed within a few days of leaving Kabul. Lady Sale was amongst a small group of survivors taken prisoner. She was rescued by British forces in Kalu Pass on 17 September 1842. Her husband had in the meantime counter-attacked the Afghans at Jelalabad and raised the siege, returning to Kabul where he was reunited with his wife on 21 September.
The Sales returned to England in 1843 where Lady Sale prepared her journal for publication in the same year. They returned to India in March 1844. Sir Robert died of wounds received at the battle of Mudki in December 1845 and his widow retired to the hills in India and died in Cape Town in July 1853.