The siege of Lucknow during the Indian Mutiny of 1857-8 was one of the focal points of the conflict that engulfed the sub-continent and threatened to bring the British Raj to its knees. Surrounded on all sides by large numbers of rebel sepoys, marauders and native malcontents, the British soldiers and loyal sepoys defended themselves and their families and children fiercely. Among those trapped was Mrs Adelaide Case, a lady who had been swept up into the hellish conditions of the Residency with her husband, Colonel William Case and her sister. Colonel Case was killed early in the brutal fighting that raged around the Residency for almost five months, despite this severe loss Mrs Case kept a daily diary, which is now one of the most valuable and harrowing memorials of the siege.

For several weeks past much anxiety had been felt by us all at Lucknow, in consequence o f the alarming rumours respecting the mutinous state of the Indian Army, The ladies scarcely knew that things looked so dark and gloomy as they really did ; but I must confess my fear on the subject was more roused by the serious way in which I used to hear dear William, who was always bright and cheerful under any circumstances, talk over affairs with Colonel Inglis, than from what I read in the papers.