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

THE CONFLAGRATION
in advance and as the general had with him four lakhs
of Rupees in cash, the Emperor was assured that he need
have no anxiety about money or pay. Not only this, the
Emperor was informed that further captures of money
would at once be sent to the Royal Treasury. The Em-
peror distributed sweet-meat worth four thousand Rupees
amongst the Sepoys. The Sepoys of Agra, the regiments
of Nasirabad, of Jallundhar, all are under the command
of Bakht Khan. The general ordered that every citizen
in the city should be armed. All householders and shop-
keepers should keep arms. And those who had none
should, at once, ask for them at the Supreme Thana and
they would be given them free. But none should be found
without arms. Any Sepoy who would be found looting
would be deprived of his hand. Bakht Khan went to the
armoury and, after examining it, got the arms and
powder-magazines properly arranged. At eight in the
night, the general went to the palace. The Emperor, with
Begum Zinat Mahal, Hakeem Ahsanullah Khan, and
Ahmad Kuli Khan, discussed the state affairs. In the
general parade on the 3rd of July, nearly twenty thousand
Sepoys were present."³
While the arrival of Bakht Khan was giving the Revolu-
tion in Delhi some sort of organisation, in the English
camp too, men of energy and initiative were arriving from
the Panjab and other places. The English government
had very few men with them who could surpass, in energy
or ability, the brave Brigadier-General Chamberlain who
had just arrived from the Panjab. The famous military
engineer, Baird-Smith, too, came there. All the men who
distinguished themselves in the Sikh War were sent from
the Panjab by John Lawrence to help the English army
at Delhi. Then, General Barnard decided to try once more
the " straight and bold " assault on Delhi which had been
so many times thought of and given up in the past. Even
3. Native Narratives by Metcalfe, page 60.
298