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

THE ERUPTION
varta ! He entered Cawnpore on the 22nd with two guns,
three hundred private Sepoys, infantry and cavalry !
There was a large number of civil and military officers
of the English at Cawnpore. Nana encamped in the very
midst of these English people. Now it was certain that,
if there was a revolt at Cawnpore, the treasury would be
attacked. How best to guard it ? Of course by entrust-
ing it to Nana Sahib ! Soon two hundred of Nana's
Sepoys began to keep guard over it. Collector Hillersden
profusely thanked Nana Sahib and Tatia Topé and it
was even proposed that the English women and children
should, if necessary, go for safety to the Nana's palace
at Brahmavarta !
Here was Mahratta policy ! That Nana should be invited
with his troops to Cawnpore to ‘protect’ the English and
to fight against his countrymen rising for freedom, that
he should take his head-quarters in the English camp,
that a treasure of lakhs of Rupees should be entrusted to
him for better keeping and, above all this, that the English
should thank him for his services ! Here is Mahratta
policy ! Nana paid the English in their own coin. And
all this, only a week before the great upheaval ! From
this it is evident how in 1857, the English were long left
groping in the dark and then pushed down the precipice !
The knowledge that Independence was the goal and War
the means was clearly given to the general populace at
that time ; but, as to who were the leaders, what was the
day of rising, what were the chief centres, all this was
kept so secret that not only the English but even the rank
and file of the Revolutionary society knew not much about
it. The heads of the Central Secret Society and their
faithful servants were the only men who had detailed in-
formation. This brings out the meaning of what we have
said before that there was a secret committee in every regi-
ment. The letter which fell into English hands at Benares
was signed only “From a great leader.” The responsible
leaders conducted themselves in a manner suited to the
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