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

THE ERUPTION
English authorities got information on the 18th of May
that some of the Meerut Sepoys had camped near Morada-
bad. The 29th regiment was ordered to make a night
attack on them. In obedience to that order, the Sepoys
attacked the Meerut Revolutionaries while they were
asleep in the woods, but, however, in some ways or other,
in spite of the determined attack under these conditions,
all but one of them succeeded in escaping. The night was
so dark ! The English officers also thought that the dark-
ness helped the Meerut Sepoys to escape, though attacked
under such odds. It has now transpired, however, that
the attack was a mere sham ; nay more, some of the
Meerut Sepoys, said to have escaped in the forest, actually
slept that night in the Sepoy lines at Moradabad ! How-
ever for the time being the English had entire confidence
in the 29th regiment on account of the loyal night-attack
which it made. And nothing in its conduct was calculated
to dispel it till the end of May.
On the morning of the 31st, however, all the Sepoys began
to form on the parade-ground. The English were about
to ask the reason of their assembling thus without permis-
sion, when the Sepoys spoke authoritatively in the follow-
ing manner :— “ The rule of the Company is at an end !
Therefore, you should leave this country immediately and
go away, or else you will be massacred ! If you cannot go
at once we will allow you two hours to prepare for de-
parture. But you must vacate Moradabad as soon as the
two hours are over.” The Moradabad police also an-
nounced that thenceforth they would not obey the orders
of the English, and the citizens supported them ! When
these three simultaneous notices were given, the English
people at Moradabad—the judge, the collector, the magis-
trate, the surgeon, and others—with their families, ran
away from Moradabad without the least attempt at
remonstrance. Any Englishmen who were found in
Moradabad after the time limit had expired were killed.
Commissioner Powell and others became Mahomedans
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