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

THE CONFLAGRATION
2nd of August, near the village of Bibiganj. Both armies
endeavoured to take possession of a thick forest near by.
In this race between youth and age, the aged Kumar Singh
arrived first and, thus defeating Eyre's plans, he opened
a terrible fire. Eyre had three excellent guns and he was
continually advancing on the strength of these. Thrice
Kumar Singh's men jumped at the guns. Thrice did they
go almost near the mouth of the fire-spitting guns, but the
English kept their artillery constantly firing. At that
moment, Captain Hastings came up panting to the com-
mander Eyre, and said, “ Eyre, even the English infantry
is being pushed back! Victory has slipped from us!” If
this state had continued for half an hour more, the battle
would have been Kumar Singh's. Now, as anyhow the
victory was going, the English wanted to try a last despe-
rate attack before leaving the field. In this, Eyre
ordered the English force to charge with bayonets. Im-
mediately, the English soldiers rushed like arrows on the
Revolutionaries. It cannot be understood why the Sepoys
who would bravely rush up to the mouths of guns could
not stand a general charge with bayonets, but it is certain
that they did not withstand it. Eyre drove them out of
the thicket and pushed forward, marched up to the fortress
at Arrah, and relieved the Englishmen besieged there. And
the town of Arrah thus fell into English hands again.
The siege of Arrah lasted only for eight days. In these
eight days, the brave Rajput had to maintain the siege as
well as fight two battles. His extraordinary courage,
spirit, and bravery were not matched by the bravery of
his followers, and so, after suffering defeat at Eyre's hands,
Kumar Singh had to retreat to Jagadishpur. But when
he heard that the English army, reinforced by the lately
besieged troops at Arrah, were swelling considerably, he
began to collect together all the available fighting men at
Jagadishpur. The English by this time had seen not a
little of Kumar Singh's activity. Fearing that he might
again march on Arrah, Eyre forestalled him and himself
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