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

KUMAR SINGH AND AMAR SINGH
intrepidity and discipline ; and he, also, exhibited match-
less skill both in giving battle and in avoiding it—in both
the positive and the negative sides of guerilla warfare ;
and therefore it is that, having trampled his foe
into dust, in the midst of a proud victory, on an
independent throne, and under the banner of free-
dom—the old, the brave, the great Indian could
die an honourable death !
On the 26th of April, 1858, Kumar Singh died. No sooner
did this actor pass off from the stage than another—
equally brave, equally noble, and equally patriotic—ap-
peared on the scene. This new general was no other than
the younger brother of Kumar Singh. Raja Amar Singh,
without allowing a moment's slackening in the vigour of
the war, without taking a rest of even four days, marched
straight on to knock at the gates of Arrah itself ! Having
heard of the defeat of Le Grand of Arrah, the British
forces which had stopped on the other side of the Ganges
had by this time crossed it ; and the two generals, Briga-
dier Douglas and general Lugard, marched on Raja Amar
Singh on the 3rd of May. At Bihiya, Hatampur, Dalil-
pur, and several other places, each alternate day, the
English forces attacked the Revolutionaries. Therefore,
now Amar Singh resorted to different tactics. If he saw
that the enemy was gaining the upper hand, he would
order his forces to divide themselves into small bands, to
retire in divers but well-mapped-out directions and, thus
rendering pursuit by the enemy hopelessly impossible, to
get united again at the appointment signal. How, now,
to fight with this invisible army— was the chief question
before the British. Every battle seemed to them quite
decisive, but the very next moment the army of Amar
Singh was as strong and as active at some other place as
ever ! No sooner he was driven from one end of the
jungle then he appeared again in the second, and as soon
as he was driven from that, he would wheel round and
reign supreme in the first. At last, worn out, disgraced,
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