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

MEERUT
after the rising, the Sepoys went away towards Delhi,
leaving the work of revenge to the townsmen of Meerut.
It was very easy to have stopped the Sepoys on the way
and to have crushed them. But even English historians
are ashamed of the cowardice, mismanagement, and want
of foresight among the civil and military officers there.
Colonel Smyth of the Indian cavalry ran away to save his
life when he heard that his regiment had risen against
the English. When the chief officer of the artillery was
getting his guns ready and parading them, the Sepoys
were already on the way to Delhi. Even then, the English
army, instead of following them, remained inactive all
night, as if cowed down. To tell the truth, when Meerut
rose, the English were absolutely dumbfounded. They
could not form any idea of this unprecedented and sudden
rising till the next day ! On the other hand, the Sepoys
had a clear programme before them. It was this : to rise
immediately, to release the prisoners, and massacre the
English. Either the English were frightened at the sudden
rising, or the citizens of Meerut, plundering and burning
on all sides, made it impossible for the English to see where
the real rising was. When they would be busy taking
their bearings, the Sepoys were to have marched towards
Delhi. This march towards Delhi was a very cleverly
organised plan. There is not the least doubt that the
leaders of the Secret Society showed unexampled skill in
taking hold of Delhi at the first heat, thus making the
Rising openly national in a moment, and destroying the
prestige of the English. And the plan was as quickly
executed as it was cleverly arranged. Before the English
got news of the rising, the telegraph wires between Meerut
and Delhi were cut, the road was guarded, the patriotic
heroes were liberated from prison, the blood of English
despots was flowing on the ground, and two thousand
Sepoys, with their drawn swords wet with English blood,
raised the significant cry of, " To Delhi, to Delhi ! "
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