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

THE CONFLAGRATION
fought the English on several occasions with credit under
the flag of Nana Sahib at Cawnpore. As soon as such a
formidable opponent fell into their hands, they hanged
him. This Nadir Khan, at the point of death, swore a
terrible oath “ calling upon the people of India to draw
their swords and assert their independence by the exter-
mination of the English.”¹ This was the burning message
delivered with his last dying breath by this glorious
patriot, Nadir Khan.
On the 4th of January 1858, at the time when Sir Colin
entered Fatehgarh in triumph, all the Doab and all the
country from Benares upwards as far as Meerut had been
reconquered by the British. So, now, the question was
what was to be the future plan of operations of the British
army? The hope of the British, that, when the flames
of rebellion had been extinguished in the Doab, the in-
surrections in other parts would quietly settle down, now
proved absolutely futile. Experts in political astrology
had prophesied that, within eight days of the fall of Delhi,
the “ mutiny ” would be no more. As a matter of fact,
the Revolution did not perish by the fall of Delhi, and all
these prophecies had proved false. For the huge mass of
the Revolutionary army, so far confined to Delhi, spread
tumultuously all over the country like a river overflowing
its banks. The troops of Rohilkhand under Bakht Khan,
of Neemuch under Veer Singh, and other armies under
their various Subahdars, instead of surrendering to the
English, continued the war from other parts of the coun-
try. Once, right in Delhi itself, there seemed signs of
another insurrection of the populace. For, a rumour had
spread all over the city that Nana, after his victory
at Cawnpore, had marched on to effect the release of the
Emperor whom the English had imprisoned. Secret
orders were immediately given to the military authorities
that, should Nana really come to Delhi, the guards

1. Charles Ball's Indian Mutiny, Vol. II, page 232.
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