१८५७ का स्वातन्त्र्य समर (वीर विनायक दामोदर सावरकर - अंग्रेजों द्वारा छपने से पूर्व प्रतिबन्धित महाग्रन्थ)

SECRET ORGANISATION
pictures of such heart-rending tyranny were drawn with
such pathos that the brave Sepoys began to weep pro-
fusely. And, then and there, the Sepoys would take the
water of the Ganges in their hands, or would swear by the
Koran, that they would live only to achieve the destruc-
tion of the English rule. When Subahdar Majors, Subah-
dars, and Jamadars and the bigger officers were all sworn
in, the whole regiment was naturally bound over. The
Vizier of Oudh, by the use of such tactics, won over the
whole army in Bengal.⁹ In Fort William itself, in Cal-
cutta, the Revolutionary agents of Ali Nakkhi Khan
moved silently.
After sending letters to the various Durbars from
Brahmavarta, Nana exerted himself thoroughly to awaken
all the latent power of the people. When Brahmavarta,
Delhi, Lucknow, Satara, and such other big and promi-
nent princes figured conspicuously in the Revolutionary
Organisation, how could this organisation suffer for want
of money? To preach to all those who were a power
among the people, thousands of Fakirs, Pundits, and
Sanyasis were sent out in an incredibly short time. It is
not true to say that all these Fakirs were true Fakirs ;
for, some of the Fakirs and Sadhus lived with the gran-
deur of Amirs. Elephants were given them for travelling.
Guards armed to the teeth travelled with them, and every
stage on their way was a regular camp. Provided with
9. Some of the letters of the Sepoys of Barrackpore fell into
the hands of the English. Kaye adduces the following letters as
evidence for the above. "The second grenadier said that the whole
regiment is ready to join the Nabob of Oudh." "Subahdars said
that they would join the Nabob of Oudh." Subahdar Madarkhan,
Sirdar Khan, and Ram Shahi Lal said, "that in treachery no one
could come up to the level of the "Beti-choot" Feringhis. Though
the Nabob of Oudh gave up his kingdom, he could not even get a
pension". Many other letters, like this, the English came across
afterwards.—Kaye's Indian Mutiny, Vol. I, p. 429. (These regi-
ments consisted of the sepoys from Oudh, Agra, and were only sta-
tioned in Bengal.—Author's note).
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