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

OFFERING IN THE SACRIFICIAL FIRE
villages, mountains, and rivers reverberated with a terrible
war-cry, and jubilant shouts of “Tatia Topé, Tatia Topé!”
For the Mahratta tiger, chased by the lances of the
hunters, had now rushed into the forests of Central India.
He had, as it were, lost his right hand by the death of
Lakshmi Bai on the field of Gwalior. The Revolution
was almost crushed by numerous defeats. He was now
separated for ever from Nana Sahib. English power,
through Indian strength, had now almost become invin-
cible. He had now no army worth the name, no guns,
no provisions, and not even any hopes for getting
these anywhere! Still the undaunted Tatia Topé,
harassing the enemy, and maddening Defeat itself,
would not surrender the Jaripatka at the feet of
the foreigner. Bend it before the foreigner, never!
Such is the tree from which its staff is made that
it might be broken by foreigners but it would never
bend before them!
After the defeats of Gwalior and Jaura Alipur, Tatia Topé
and Rao Sahib Peshwa took the remnants of the army
and marched to a place called Sarmathura. They based
all their future operations on three important principles.
First, they were to try not to get entangled into any
battle whatsoever with the English army. Secondly, they
decided to make guerilla raids in the unguarded provinces.
But these two stratagems would be impossible unless some
means could be devised to insure a supply of provisions
and good arms. So, to obtain these, the third rule of
Tatia was to levy contributions of provisions, money, and
arms, wherever an Indian state was to be found. In
northern and central India, there are Indian states at
almost every step. They had accumulated, in the course
of years, huge stores of provisions and arms. And it was
the duty of the kings there to use these stores for the
protection of the country. But in 1857 these kings dis-
regarded the earnest requests and entreaties of the coun-
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