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

KUMAR SINGH AND AMAR SINGH
brought to the front, Tatia Topé and Kumar Singh, in
their military achievements as guerilla leaders, we shall be
struck with one distinguishing point. To Tatia Topé may
be at once assigned a very high place in the negative side
of guerilla warfare, while Kumar Singh holds the position
with equal eminence in the positive as well as in the nega-
tive side of it. Tatia Topé did not allow the enemy to
completely crush his forces or his power to raise them,
but Kumar Singh, while succeeding in doing this, could
even succeed in crushing the enemy's forces by severe de-
feats. To ensure ultimate success, it is imperatively neces-
sary in guerilla warfare to prevent the demoralisation of
one's followers which the constant flights from the field or
avoidance of battles against a mightier foe do inevitably
tend to beget. The defeats which are suffered intentional-
ly by the leader, and the flights which he finds it necessary
to effect, ought not to be allowed to create demoralisation
or diffidence in the minds of his followers. The constant
avoidance of battles ought not to be allowed to create
in the followers a fear for battle itself. The skilful avoid-
ance of a battle and a panic-stricken flight in the course
of the battle are two very different things. So it is most
important in guerilla tactics never to leave the field
through cowardice ; but whenever a battle is decided to
be given, it should be given so sternly and dashingly as to
strike a sudden terror into the heart of the enemy and to
infuse an overwhelming confidence into the heart of one's
own followers. The main skill lies in taking care never
to be forced to give battle where the chances are of an
unequal contest. But once the die is cast, such must be
the tenacity and desperation in contesting the field as
was shown by Baji in the Pawankhind or by Kumar Singh
on the Tanu Nadi. In short, if the strength is unequal,
the leader should not get entangled into a battle ; if the
chances are equal, he should cast the die ; but, in either
case of a forced or voluntary contest, never should a battle
once begun be left, through fear or want of discipline,
but, on the contrary, it should be fought on so desperately
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