Lady Sale, 9 January 1842

Lithograph by Richard Evan Sly, printed by W Clerk, published by Blackwood and Page, 154 Strand 1842 (c).

Lady Florentia Sale, wife of Major-General Sir Robert Sale, accompanied the retreat of the British from Kabul in 1842 during the 1st Afghan War (1838-1842). After witnessing much bloodshed and nursing the wounded, she was eventually captured and imprisoned. Lady Sale kept a diary during her captivity, which was published in 1843. The 9 January is also the date of the death of her son-in-law, Lieutenant Sturt of the Engineers whom she nursed, and who was the only officer to receive a Christian burial.