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

THE CONFLAGRATION
Bahadur Khan was still holding out in this city. After
the fall of Delhi and Lucknow, the Revolutionaries had
been pouring into this still independent town of their
party. Mirza Feroz Shah, the brave prince of the Delhi
dynasty, Shrimant Nana Sahib, Moulvie Ahmad Shah,
Shrimant Bala Sahib, Begum Hazrat Mahal, Raja Teja
Singh, and many of the lesser leaders, had retreated into
Rohilkhand and Bareilly, its capital, where still was wav-
ing the flag of a free people. And it was for this very
reason that Sir Colin had vowed vengeance against this
city. But in the Indian camp there was no talk of
making any stand at the city itself, as the leaders of the
Revolution had determined, even according to the general
order they had just issued, to resist the enemy by guerilla
tactics. Their plan was to evacuate the city and get scat-
tered all over the fields of Rohilkhand. All preparations
had been made for leaving the city and only the last order
of evacuation remained to be given. But when the
brave Rohillas actually saw the hated Feringhi just
near the town, the majority of them refused to
evacuate the city without first tasting the steel of
the foe—until, once at least, they had given proof
of their readiness to die for the cause of their
nation and their faith.
The English forces that had surrounded that city were
exceedingly strong. Their artillery was well-equipped and
they had numerous guns ; their cavalry and their infantry
were well-armed and well-disciplined ; and the command
was in the hands of no less a general than the commander-
in-chief Sir Colin Campbell himself. Against these, the
guns of Khan Bahadur Khan could make no impression,
and so, on that 5th of May, the Revolutionary guns had
to be silent and the Revolutionary sword flashed forth.
The sword belonged to the martyr-spirits who, in spite
of the hopelessness of success, nay, in virtue of the hope-
lessness of success, instead of leaving the battle-field, pre-
ferred to embrace death with a smile on their lips and
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