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

KUMAR SINGH AND AMAR SINGH
numbered five or six times that of Milman and, seeing
that his enemy threatened to surround him completely,
Milman was obliged to stop weakly in the midst of his
bold attack. This weakness increased the determination
of Kumar Singh to surround him. Now the British army,
frightened and almost suffocated, began to fall back. Now
began the wolf-like warfare of Kumar Singh's troops,
moving forward to shoot at stray soldiers and the flanks
of the enemy. The temporary triumph did not turn
Kumar Singh's head. He did not attack unitedly the
retreating troops of the enemy ; for, he knew well the
nature of the troops under him. He could not be sure how
long they would have held on in a hand to hand fight.
Hence, shrewd as he was, he determined only to continue
the guerilla tactics. He drove the army of the enemy,
hunting them from Atrolia straight to their camp
at Kosilla.
But the British army was destined not to get a safe refuge
even in the Kosilla camp. Already the news of the defeat
of the army had reached there and the Indian servants
had left with their oxen and everything else that was in
their keeping. No servants ahead, no provisions near, with
Kumar Singh's army preying on the stray unfortunates
like wolves, Milman began his retreat leaving the camp
behind him. Kumar Singh pursued—pursued even after
he had taken complete possession of everything the enemy
had, and hunted the British army and the miserable Mil-
man from Kosilla right up to Azimgarh. At Azimgarh,
Milman's hopes revived again ! for, there he had aid of
three hundred and fifty fresh forces from Benares and
Ghazipur, who had come in response to his express mes-
sage. Colonel Dames was the commander of the united
forces. With a strong base like Azimgarh, with
the British army reinforced to double the former
number, with Colonel Dames to lead them—they
determined to take revenge for the temporary defeat,
come what might !
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