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

THE INTERLUDE AND THE PUNJAB
national flag at Delhi, these Sikh states, these disciples
of Guru Govind Singh, cruelly tortured and mur-
dered them !
When the English were sure of the help of Patiala,
Nabha, and Jhind, they mustered up courage. The Raja
of Patiala sent his brother with sepoys and artillery and
ordered him to guard the Thaneswar Road, and the Raja
of Jhind took up the strong position of Panipat. When
these two most important stations were thus guarded, the
roads from Delhi to Umballa and uninterrupted communi-
cation with the Punjab were perfectly secure ; and the
Commander-in-Chief left Umballa on the 25th of May
and marched towards Delhi. But Anson had become quite
disheartened since the news of the freedom of Delhi. He
had now, besides, to be roasted in the terrible heat of the
plains, of which he had a great terror having passed his
time hitherto amid the cool shades of Simla. Emaciated
by these mental and bodily worries, the Commander-in-
Chief succumbed to cholera on the 27th of May, just as
he arrived at Karnal. On the same day, Sir Henry Bar-
nard took charge of his office.
In this manner, the English army, after burying the
old Commander-in-Chief, was marching under the new
one towards Delhi. At that time, the English were so
hopeful of victory that they were openly boasting that
they would fight in the morning and drink the blood of the
enemy in the evening at Delhi ! While this army was
marching from Umballa, the world saw the secreted poi-
son in the black hearts of these white Sepoys !
The army at Meerut was composed of “ heathens ! ”
It is, of course, an example of the savage nature of Indian
country and religion that they massacred “ harmless ”
Englishmen at Meerut and Delhi, relying on the
“ rumours ” about cartridges ! But let not what is con-
cealed be laid open before the world ! Otherwise God
Published by Asian Educational Services, New Delhi, 2014.
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