On 6 January 1842, 16,000 souls of the British Kabul force, the `Army of the Indus', fled from Kabul under a shameful capitulation and an illusion of safe-conduct promised by the eastern Afghan tribes. One week later, on 13 January, Surgeon William Brydon rode alone into Jellalabad, the only British survivor. It had been the greatest defeat ever inflicted on the British by an Asian enemy. Lady Sale (1790-1853) had been part of that humiliating retreat. She, along with the wives and children and a few men had been captured as hostages during the flight by Akbar Khan, the self-styled `Sirdar' (General) of the Eastern Ghilzyes tribes. Lady Sale's husband Major-General Sir Robert Henry “Fighting Bob” Sale, appointed second-in-command of troops in Afghanistan following his successful storming of Kabul to suppress the activities of the hill tribes and clear surrounding passes, was unable to make the journey from Jelalabad to Kabul, the forces in both towns finding themselves besieged. At Kabul, the British forces, numbering four thousand men with over ten thousand camp followers, sought to break out in January 1842: January 4th: ... The Afghans still tell us we are doomed; and warn us to be particularly cautious of our safety in going out of the cantonments. Taj Mohammed says that Mrs Sturt(Lady Sale's daughter) and I must wear neemchees (sheepskin overcoats) over our habits - common leather ones - and turbans, and ride mixed in with the suwars (horsemen); not to go in palkees (palanquins) or keep near the other ladies, as they are 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 fight 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. 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 came 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.
Lady Sale, A Journal of the Disasters in Afghanistan 1841-1842, London 1842 Major General Sir Vincent Eyre, The Kabul Insurrection of 1841-42, W H Allen, London 1879 Rev G R Gleig, Sale’s Brigade in Afghanistan, John Murray, London 1879 Patrick Macrory, Signal Catastrophe, The Retreat from Kabul 1842, The History Book Club 1966 Patrick Macrory, Lady Sale, The First Afghan War, Longmans, London 1969 George Bruce, Retreat from Kabul, Howard Baker Publishers 1967