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

CAWNPORE AND JHANSI
in excellent condition. Nana Sahib’s guns played great
havoc on the English buildings within the fort. When, on
the 7th of June, the artillery of the Revolutionaries began
to do its terrible work, English women and children, who
had never been in such a plight before, began to run about
here and there crying frantically. But habit took away
the terror even of death, and balls flying over the heads
created no greater surprise than birds flying in the air.
Two days after the attack was commenced, the supply of
water in the fort began to fall short. There was only one
well within the fort which was of any use but the Revolu-
tionaries had a keener eye on it than the English soldiers
themselves. The heat of the sun was so strong that the
soldiers would die of sunstroke. All hearts became hard-
ened like stone. The difference between the sexes, and
modesty, vanished. Children died for want of milk and
sorrow killed the mothers. Let alone burying the dead,
but it even became impossible to inquire who was dead
and who was alive. For even while making a list of the
living, some name would have to be scored off. To draw
a true picture of such situations, the best way is to describe
the events of a typical hour. Captain Thomas, relating
his experiences, says : “While Armstrong was lying wound-
ed, Lieutenant Prole came to see him. Just as he uttered
a few words of consolation, a bullet from the Sepoys struck
him in the thigh and he fell down. With his hand on
my shoulder and mine round his waist, I began to lift him
to take him to the sergeant. Before I had gone many steps,
there was a buzzing noise and a bullet entered my shoulder.
I and Prole both fell dying on the floor. Seeing this,
Gilbert Bucks came running towards us. But the enemy’s
bullet came after him, pierced his body through, and he
fell at once in the jaws of Death.” This account of one
hour gives a good idea of the history of those twenty-one
days ! When Sir Wheeler’s son was wounded, his two
sisters and his mother were giving him medical assistance
in a room. But, before he could take the medicine, there
was a fearful explosion and a cannon ball carried away
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