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

LUCKNOW
perate rush on the English guns. Again and again, they
rushed against the guns. Their heroic leader, fluttering the
flag of Swaraj in his hand, jumped into the ditch and called
upon the others to follow, shouting, “Chalô, Bahadur !
Chalô ! ” (Come, brave men, come!) He crossed the ditch
and began to plant the Revolutionary flag on English
guns ! ² But this brave soldier was soon shot down by
an English bullet. Instead of thousands rushing forth
over his dead body at this time and avenging the death
of the martyr the crowd of camp followers retreated instead
of advancing. But, bravo ! You ladder-men ! You did
not imitate the cowardly camp-followers but rushed forth
like real Sepoys. Plant the ladders in the ditch and mount
up quickly in spite of the fire of the English ! The first
batch has fallen—but let the next one come. But where
are the others who dare risk it ? This is the difference
between the English army and the Revolutionaries ! The
English never allowed the blood of their comrades to be
shed in vain ; if one falls, ten rush forward in his place.
We do not care where those who fled behind will go to ;
but, you heroes, you martyrs, you have reached Heaven !
Those who took the flag of Swaraj in their own hands; in
order that it might not be polluted by the touch of coward-
ly living corpses, those who went up to put that flag on the
enemy’s fire-spitting guns, by their glorious, holy blood
—that flag will be eternally pure and shine with a divine
splendour ! The flag of Swaraj looks its best only in such
wounded and bleeding arms ! One whose wrists are not
bespattered with blood should not touch and pollute the
holy flag of independence !
After this first assault was repulsed, the Revolutionaries
had, daily, small skirmishes with the English. They did
their best in dynamiting the houses in the Residency.
From above, the fire of terrible guns, and from below,
dynamite explosions ! No Englishman was sure when the

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2. Gubbins’s Mutinies, page 218.
   351