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

THE CONFLAGRATION
ing the orders of Bakht Khan. The Revolutionaries were
lying scattered, unprepared, and unformed—the attack was
cautious and well-ordered and under the command of
Nicholson ! The destruction of the Neemuch sepoys was
complete. They fought ; they fought with great courage;
they fought with such bravery that the enemy applauded
them. But this was vain bravery ! The Revolutionaries
had never suffered such a defeat since the battle of Bundel-
ki-Serai. The whole Neemuch brigade fell this day on
the field ! This was the fruit of self-willed action and
disobedience of the orders of their own elected commander!
Undisciplined bravery is as useless as cowardice !
This victory of the 25th of August removed altogether the
cloud of despair in the English Camp. This was their
only real victory since the month of June. Everyone
was anxious now to assault Delhi. Commander Wilson
gave the order to Baird-Smith to prepare the plan of
the final attack. This Baird-Smith who, by his persist-
ence, had retained the English army at Delhi when it
was thinking of raising the siege, prepared the map as
ordered. The new siege-train from the Panjab also arriv-
ed safely in the English camp. The English commander
sent a message to his troops in the following strain.
" This city of Delhi has baulked the English army and
three generals' military skill for the last three months!
The time has certainly come near when your efforts up
to now will be rewarded by the razing to dust of
that city ! "
After the arrival of reinforcements from the Panjab, the
English army consisted of three thousand and five hun-
dred English soldiers, five thousand Sikhs, Panjabees, etc.,
two thousand and five hundred Kashmiris—altogether
eleven thousand men. Besides, the Raja of Jhind him-
self was there, with hundreds of his men to assist in the
fall of Delhi. In the first half of September, the English
commander assumed the offensive and began to construct
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