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

THE FIGHT IN DELHI
rear, and there a hot encounter took place. Even on the
right of the English army, the post called " Hindu Rao’s
house " was most vigorously attacked by the Sepoys. " A
detachment of native irregular cavalry, on whose loyalty
the English had relied, went over to the enemy. And so
sudden was the retrograde movement that the greater
number of them escaped from the fire of our guns which
were turned upon them as soon as their treachery was
disclosed."¹ Major Reid who was in charge of this place
says : " They went to the front just as if they were going
to charge ; but no sooner had they closed than, to my
horror, I saw them mix up with the enemy and walk off
with them. Immediately I saw this, I ordered the guns
to open upon them but the wretches were too far off and I
don’t think that more than half-a-dozen were killed."
After this assault, every day saw the Revolutionaries
issuing from out the city and every evening saw them
retiring back into the city. Any regiment that newly came
into the city had to go out and attack the enemy the very
next day. On the 13th of June, Hindu Rao’s house was
again attacked ; the 60th regiment (the same that joined
the Revolutionaries on the 12th) was conspicuous in the
day’s action. Major Reid writes that they " marched up
the Grand Trunk Road in columns of sections right in
front and led the attack headed by the Sirdar Bahadur of
the regiment, who made himself very conspicuous, calling
out to the men to keep their distance as he intended to
wheel to his left. They fought most desperately. The
Sirdar Bahadur was killed by his orderly, Lall Singh. I
took the riband of India from his breast and sent it to
my wife." On the 17th of June, the Indian army tried to
erect a battery on the Idga building, which would have
completely enfiladed the Ridge. Seeing this, Major Reid
and Henry Tombs attacked the Revolutionaries from both
sides and pressed upon them with irresistible force. But

1. Kaye’s Indian Mutiny, Vol. II, page 411.
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