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

THE CONFLAGRATION
whelmingly innumerable. But, better late than never!
For, though success was rendered extremely difficult, yet
there was not the least suggestion in the Revolutionary
camp of surrender or desertion. So, the leaders of Oudh
and Rohilkhand decided to continue the War of Independ-
ence by pursuing guerilla tactics, and issued the following
Proclamation and military order all over the provinces :
"Do not attempt to meet the regular columns of the in-
fidels in open battle, because they are superior to you in
discipline and they have big guns. But watch their move-
ments, guard all the Ghats on the rivers, intercept their
communications, stop their supplies, cut up their dâks
and posts, and keep constantly hanging about their camp.
Give the Feringhi no rest ! " ¹ Moulvie Ahmad Shah at
once began to put into execution these orders. He began
to hang about the camp of the British forces which were
at Lucknow and camped at Bari, a place twenty-nine
miles away from the English camp. The Begum Hazrat
Mahal was encamped at Bitaoli with six thousand men.
In order to break both these forces, Hope Grant started
from Lucknow with a strong force of three thousand
soldiers and a powerful artillery, first in the direction of
Bari. The next day brought with it an incident which
showed the wonderful courage and cleverness of the Revo-
lutionary scouts. The Moulvie had sent out some of his
scouts to get correct information about the British force.
On the same night they entered the camp of the English
with perfect nonchalance. The English watchmen stopped
them and asked, "Who goes there?" "We are the men
of the 12th regiment!" was the answer. This answer
was literally true, for all of them had indeed belonged to
the 12th regiment. But how were the poor watchmen to
know that this 12th regiment was one of those which rose
in rebellion as far back as the July of the previous year
Published by Asian Educational Services, New Delhi, 2014.

1. Russel says : "This general order bears marks of sagacity
   and points out the most formidable war we would encounter."—
   Diary, page 276.
   444