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

THE ERUPTION
Though the Revolutionary party tried their utmost, the
Sikhs turned to the side of the English. But in the
Punjab, many regiments were composed of the non-Pun-
jabee Hindusthanee people and all of them had prepared
their minds to fight against the English, and were waiting
for the appointed signal. It was not only Sepoys that
vowed for freedom, but some patriotic sections of people
outside the camp also were sowing the seeds of revolution
everywhere. The English soon discovered that even after
the disarming of the Mian Mir Sepoys the solid ground
on which they were so confidently relying was being
undermined. Though the forts of Lahore and Amritsar
were secure, the arsenal at Ferozepore was undefended.
On the 13th of May, a parade was ordered to ascertain
if the Sepoys there showed any signs of mutinying by en-
deavouring to take the undefended arsenal. But the
Sepoys behaved so coolly at parade as not to give the
slightest room for suspicion of the passions that were
tearing their hearts. Therefore, their disarming was not
thought of ; but only the two regiments were stationed
apart from each other. One of the regiments was made
to march through bazaar in the town. How little the
English knew what was being exchanged at that bazaar !
The spirit of independence was strengthened among the
Sepoys there, if that were possible, by the pleadings of
the shopkeepers and the customers and, before the regi-
ment came out of the bazaar, they laid aside their doubts
and hesitations and made a firm resolve. In the moment,
there was raised a war-cry and the English could only blow
up the arsenal as they thought it was difficult to save it.
The Sepoys then, hurried towards the walls of Delhi, from
where the National Flag was calling out to all Indians
to rally round it ! At the same moment, the town of
Ferozepore also rose and burnt to the ground the bunga-
lows, tents, hotels, and churches of the English. And
the people began to roam about hunting for Englishmen.
But the latter had been warned by telegrams from Meerut
and were, already, hiding in the barracks. The English
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