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

THE ERUPTION
called European troops from Bombay, Madras, and Ran-
goon, and had retained in India the army destined for the
now abandoned invasion of China. Out of these troops,
General Neill, with the Madras fusiliers had, about this
time, arrived at Benares. The first succour of European
troops, and that too under a bold, able, and cruel general
like Neill, restored the confidence of the English at Benares.
Just then, the English army at Danapur also came to
Benares. As there was extraordinary unrest in Benares
and there was clear evidence that the Sepoys were also
concerned in the Revolutionary propaganda, the English
thought that they should make an attempt to crush the
Revolution in its embryo. From the first, the English
were confident that this could easily be done by the com-
bined strength of General Neill's troops, the Sikh nobles
and soldiers, and the artillery. The news of Azimgarh
reached Benares on the 4th of June and it was decided
after considerable discussion that the Sepoys should be
disarmed before they rose. Accordingly, a general parade
was ordered that afternoon.
Hearing this order, the Sepoys guessed the rest. They
also got the secret information that the English held the
artillery in readiness. When on the parade maidan the
English officers gave them the order to lay down their
arms, it was clear to them that they would be first dis-
armed, and then blown from the mouth of guns. There-
fore, instead of laying down their arms, they attacked
the neighbouring arsenal and fell on the English officers
with fierce cries. Just then, there arrived on the scene
the Sikh regiment intended to overawe them. The Sikhs
were at the time possessed of such a spirit of loyalty to
England, that they fell at the feet of the English and
prayed to be given a chance of fighting the Sepoys, at
least for a short time ! A Hindu Sepoy attacked their
commander Guise and he dropped down dead in an
instant. Hardly had Brigadier Dodgson arrived to take
his place, when a Sikh Sepoy, at the inspiration of the
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