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

THE ERUPTION
marched towards Lucknow. In that city, the great Eng-
lish leader, Henry Lawrence, was moving heaven and
earth to inspire life into the dying English power. Though
he had lost the whole province, he had still kept his hold
on the capital. He had smelt the Revolution from afar
and had fortified the two places, Machi Bhawan and the
Residency, as has been already mentioned. When the
Sepoys revolted on the 31st of May and went away,
Lawrence formed a splendid regiment of Sikhs and an-
other of the “ most loyal ” Hindusthanees. The remain-
ing division of the old Sepoy army had rebelled before the
12th of June. This revolt pleased Sir Henry in a way,
for now he had with him a select and faithful army
consisting of the English regiment and artillery and the
two regiments of Sikhs and Hindusthanees, whose loyalty
to the English had been proved by severe tests. Sir
Henry was now waiting, ready to give battle.
The Sepoys and young fighting men of the province of
Oudh were collecting together around the city of Luck-
now. Both sides, before commencing the fight, were
awaiting the issue of another struggle. The siege of
Cawnpore was at its height, and neither the English nor
the Revolutionaries started the battle until the final news
from Cawnpore came. Each party based its hopes on the
result of Cawnpore. Sir Henry wrote hopefully to Lord
Canning, on the 23rd of June, “If Cawnpore stands, it
is doubtful whether Lucknow will be besieged at all.” On
the 28th, the news came to Lucknow that not a single
Englishman was left alive at Cawnpore! The Revolu-
tionaries were flushed with the victory and marched up
to Chinhut to attack the English.
The terrible defeat of the English at Cawnpore shook the
basis of English prestige everywhere. Sir Henry Lawrence
thought that, unless this defeat were counteracted, not
only the Residency at Lucknow but even Fort William
of Calcutta would not be safe, and resolved to wash away
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