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

THE ERUPTION
and artillery men, and made all necessary preparations
for the fight.
The fact that, before beginning the battle, Nana Sahib
gave a previous written notice to the English when it was
in no way called for, is of the greatest importance. The
English would certainly not have shown this generosity
had they been in Nana’s place. Those, who always try
to pour foul disgrace on Nana Sahib’s name, should bend
their heads with shame at this act of natural gallantry !
If we remember these two facts, the saving of the lives of
all English officers at the time of the rising and the twelve
hours’ previous written notice given by Nana Sahib, and
then read the final scenes, we will appreciate better the
real situation at Cawnpore.
Soon after sending the notice of battle to the English
Subahdar (now General) Tikka Sigh went towards the
arsenal and was busy, all the morning, arranging the arms
etc. and sending them to the place of attack. Guns were
pointed against the English fort from the side of the river
as well as from land. The plan of the attack was formed
with true military skill. At the same time, the Cawnpore
town was also in a tumult ! Spinners, sword-smiths, and
people from the bazaar, Mussalmans, and the influential
silver-merchants—everybody took anything that came to
hand and were looking for Englishmen. Offices, courts,
and all English records, old and new, were burnt, and
those Englishmen that forgot to betake themselves to the
fort were killed. It was now mid-day. At about one the
English fort began to be besieged, and, about evening,
the guns began to boom and the attack commenced.
The English had about eight cannon and plenty of ammu-
nition which they had already kept buried in the fort. The
Revolutionaries, also, had captured the arsenal and the
big guns and they too were not hard up for ammunition.
General Tikka Singh had from the first kept the artillery
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