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

OUDH
2nd infantry regiment and a battery of artillery. When
there were signs of a rising here, the English women and
children were sent to Lucknow. On the morning of the
9th of June, many English officers voluntarily repaired
to the Raja of Balarampur for refuge. Only the chief
officer of the artillery, Bonham, retained his faith in the
Sepoys and would not leave his post. But, in the evening,
the Sepoys plainly told him that they did not wish to
injure him personally but that they would not fight
against their countrymen, because the English rule was
at an end. At this, Bonham had to leave the station.
The Sepoys showed him the safest way and he reached
Lucknow safely. When the news of Sikrora's independ-
ence reached Gonda, that town also rose for freedom.
Then the commissioner, Wingfield, together with all the
Englishmen ran for safety to the Raja of Balrampur.
This Raja protected nearly twenty-five English people and
sent them to an English camp at a suitable opportunity.
The news of the liberty of Sikrora and Gonda soon reach-
ed Barhaitch. The English officers there, without waiting
for a rising, left the chief town of the district and ran
towards Lucknow, on the 10th of June. But, since the Re-
volutionaries had their out-posts at various places all over
the province of Oudh, they disguised themselves as Indians
and tried to cross the river Gogra in a boat. First, they
did not attract any attention; but when half-way, there
was a sudden cry of " Feringhi ! Feringhi !!" The boat-
men jumped away out of the boats and the English officers
were killed. With these officers vanished the British
power in Barhaitch.
Though there was no military station at Melapore, still
the popular outburst compelled the English officers to run
away from the district. A Raja helped them as far as
possible in their flight. But, soon, they fell victims partly
to the swords of the Revolutionaries and partly to the
hardships of the forest.
Published by Asian Educational Services, New Delhi, 2014.
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