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

THE CONFLAGRATION
paired, and the English, to their great surprise, found the
Jhansi gun in working order. At this time, the English
were careless. They suffered considerably and their guns
were disabled for quite a long time.
“ On the morning of the eighth day, the English army went
for Shankar Killa. The English had very expensive and
modern telescopes and, with their aid, they began to pour
a heavy fire on the reservoir of water within the fort.
Of the six or seven who approached near for taking water,
four were killed ; the others ran leaving their vessels there.
As they could not get water for nearly four hours, even
baths and other ordinary functions could not be carried
on. Now, the gunners on the western and southern gates
stopped the guns of the English attacking the Shankar
Killa, by a continued fire on them. Then it became pos-
sible to get water from the reservoir for bath and dinner.
There was a powder factory in the tamarind grove. As
soon as two maunds of powder was prepared, it was taken
to the sellers to be stocked. A cannon-ball fell on the
factory, and thirty men and eight women were killed.
On the same day, there was a great turmoil. There was
a terrible fight. The fighters were shouting loudly. There
was a terrific noise from muskets, and guns firing heavily.
Trumpets and bugles were sounding everywhere. Dust
and smoke filled the air. Many gunners on the ramparts
and a number of Sepoys were killed. Others were ap-
pointed in their place. The Bai Sahib was working very
hard. She looked to everything, issued the necessary
orders, and repaired every point of weakness. By this,
the men in the army were very much encouraged and
fought continually. On account of this determined resist-
ance, the English, in spite of all their powder and ammu-
nition, could not enter the fort till the 31st of March.”⁴
But pressed as she is by this constant succession of dis-
4. D. B. Parasnis's Life of Lakshmi Bai, pages 187-193.
466