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

OFFERING IN THE SACRIFICIAL FIRE
surpassed, I might almost say unequalled, by any troops
in the world." Even in the midst of all this hurry and
danger, Tatia continued his march straight towards
Baroda. At Baroda, in the Durbar and in the army, the
party which completely sided with Nana Sahib's policy
was powerful, and the Gaekwar's troops were only wait-
ing for Tatia's arrival to join him openly. Tatia came
up to Rajpura, exacted a ransom of money and horses
from the chief there and, on the next day, camped in
the state of Chhota Udaipur. Baroda now lay only fifty
miles off !
But there were numerous English armies in hot pursuit
trying to capture him. The enemies' troops used to pro-
ceed exactly on the line of his march, and it is most
wonderful how he used to escape from their nets. At
Chhota Udaipur, Parke came in with Tatia, and so Tatia
had to give up the Baroda plan. Leaving the west aside,
Tatia with his army marched again to the north and
entered the jungles of Vasvara. But now, the Nabob of
Banda had taken advantage of the Proclamation of the
Queen of England and had laid down his arms. Tatia and
Rao Sahib, the two leaders, were caught in a net which
could not possibly be broken through. On the south there
was the Narbada, on the west was Roberts and his army,
on the north and east lay the steep and impassable Ghats !
If, in such a state, Tatia and Rao had surrendered, who
could have blamed them ? But glory be to them that
even in such a state they did not surrender ! An English
author, in surprise and admiration, writes : " But, these
two men were, in this hour of supreme danger, as cool,
as bold, as fertile in resource as at any period of their
careers."⁴ On the 11th of December, Tatia came out of
the jungle, obtained some provisions, from a Killadar
and began to march straight on the city of Udaipur !
But, immediately several English armies fell upon him.
4. Malleson's Indian Mutiny, Vol. V, p. 247.
533