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

TEMPORARY PACIFICATION
larger or smaller armies, were fighting to reconquer Oudh,
which had been almost conquered by the English. Also,
the celebrated Mogul prince Feroze Shah, who was lately
fighting at Dhar, was now in Oudh. There was also there
fighting in Oudh the famous Raja Narapat Singh, the
valiant son of a valiant father. He it was who had so
bravely defended the fortress of Ruiya. His father,
Jussa Singh, was an intimate friend of Nana Sahib and
had died at Brahmavarta while fighting on the side of
Nana Sahib in the holy War of Independence. Narapat
Singh, like a true Kshatria, unsheathed the sword again
for victory in the field in which his father lay dead ; he
gave shelter to Nana Sahib in his fortress at Ruiya ;
and he had been fighting ever since then against the
Feringhi power. And even greater than all these, in
power, in spirit, in determination, and in patriotism, the
veteran Raja Veni Madhav also now left his fort and,
with an extraordinary bold move, after marching along
the Cawnpore road, was now ready to pounce upon Luck-
now ! When those who have left all hopes of success
fight only for honour and duty, even courting death, is
there any limit to their magnificent courage ? Simply for
the honour of the Kshatriya race, this Veni Madhav,
though without the slightest hope of success at this late
hour, marched straight upon Lucknow ! And he caused
placards to be posted in the town that all Indians resid-
ing there should leave it, for he was going to direct a
tremendous attack upon the Feringhis. The Feringhis,
though drunk with victory, and possessed of force, and
good organisation, were astounded at his marvellous
courage. An attack on Lucknow ? Forsooth, as if
the war had begun only to-day, as if seas of blood
had not at all flowed for the whole of the past
year in Oudh !
So, on the 13th of June, Hope Grant directed a surprise
assault upon the Revolutionaries, gathering together at
Nabobganj near Lucknow. The surprise attack of the
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