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

OUDH
the insult of Cawnpore with the blood of the Revolutiona-
ries. The English army assembled near the iron bridge,
on the 29th of June. Sir Henry left Lucknow with four
hundred English soldiers, four hundred traitor Sepoys
and ten guns. He marched a long distance without seeing
any sign of the enemy. At last, he came across the front
ranks of the Revolutionaries. Sir Henry, then, ordered
his sepoys to take a very important village on his right.
The sepoys attacked that village and it fell into the hands
of the English. The English soldiers, also, took the village
of Ismailganj on the left. The Indian and English officers
of the guns rained such a fire against the guns of the
Revolutionaries that the latter was silenced. The English
almost won the day at Chinhut. But, suddenly the cry
arose that the Revolutionaries had entered unobserved the
village on the left ; the English soldiers were suddenly
attacked and driven out, and the village was captured by
the Revolutionaries, who now attacked the English centre
and rear. As the English soldiers retired, the Revolu-
tionaries rushed on. There was confusion in the English
ranks and Sir Henry, seeing that a further stand would
result in the ruin of the whole army, sounded a retreat !
During the retreat the English suffered excessive hard-
ships ; for, the Revolutionaries did not stop with the
victory of Chinhut but started a hot pursuit. The Sepoys
manning the English artillery now began to slack. But
the rest of the Indian cavalry and artillery showed even
greater bravery than the English soldiers and ably covered
the retreat. But, in a short time, the retreat ended in a
rout ! The despairing English army began to run towards
Lucknow. Out of the four hundred English soldiers,
nearly one hundred and fifty died that day. We need not
count the Indian loyalists ! The English left on the field
two guns and a big howitzer. They had also to leave
there the revenge of Cawnpore. Beaten in this manner,
Sir Henry re-entered the Residency at Lucknow. Still,
the Revolutionaries were following him. When the English
and the Sikhs and other loyalists came within the shelter
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