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

THE CONFLAGRATION
English force pushed on in spite of the terrible onslaught.
At last, the English effected a big breach and carried it.
Delhi's walls yielded and the bugle of victory sounded !
In the same manner, near the breach at the Water-Bastion
also, there was a terrible hand to hand fight, and the
second column, killing and dying at every step, carried
the breach and jumped inside the city.
The third column was marching towards the Kashmir
gate. When Lieutenants Home and Salkeld came in front
of the gate to blow it up with dynamite, from the walls,
from the windows, from everywhere came a perfect
shower of grape. The draw-bridge over the trench in
front of the Kashmir gate is broken. Only one plank
remains. Enough, march forward on it, one by one !
The sergeant is killed, this Mahadoo has fallen—but,
Home, rush forth. Home ran forth and placed the dy-
namite near the gate. Others then rushed forward on the
plank to apply the fire to it. Lieutenant Salkeld has
fallen, shot by a bullet ; rush forth, you, Captain Burgess;
why, you are also shot ; never mind, the hero has set
fire to it, even as he was dying ! A terrible crash like
thunder ! The Kashmir gate was blown up by the terrific
force of the dynamite. But even this sound was not
heard, in the din of battle, by the English commander
who was waiting for the Kashmir gate to open ! Should
he advance or should he not ? But, though he had not
heard the bugle of victory, he had not the slightest doubt
about the success of the English heroes who had rushed
forth. After waiting for a time, he marched forth. With
absolute confidence in his soldiers, Campbell gave the
order for an assault. The troops came near the ditches.
They saw their victorious and dying comrades in the
ditches, rushed through the breach in the Kashmir gate,
and jumped into Delhi.
The fourth column under Major Reid had started from
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