William Simpson (1923-1899)

Simpson set out on his third trip to India in October 1878 'in expectation of war breaking out in Afghanistan' and was given letters of introduction from HRH The Prince of Wales by Lady Browne (wife of General Sir Samuel Browne) en route. An ultimatum had been issued to Shere Ali by the British, sensitive to the Russians' recent conquests in Central Asia and keen to define the border between Russia and Afghanistan, threatening that they would cross the border and march on Kabul if they received no word. Simpson joined Browne's column for the march on Kabul, which was arrested at Jalalabad in December 1878 following news of the death of Shere Ali. The new Amir, Yakoob Khan, signed a peace with the British at Gundamuck on 8 May 1879, shortly after Simpson took the sketch for the present watercolour.