LET us now leave aside, for a moment, the bloody streams of the Revolutionary Ganges flowing about violently on the fields of Northern India with the holy desire of saving our forefathers from the bottomless pit of slavery, and turn to the events happening at its source at Haridwar. About the time of the Meerut rising, there were assembled a larger number of Revolutionary leaders in the palace of Nana Sahib than could be found, at the time, in the palace of Lucknow, in the Subah at Bareilly, or even at the Dewan-I-Khas palace at Delhi. The Revolution of 1857 was conceived in the palace at Brahmavarta. It was there that the embryo also took a definite shape. And, if the birth also had taken place at Brahmavarta, the Revolution would surely not have been so short-lived. But, before complete development, the thunder at Meerut brought the Revolutionary child into being, unfortunately before its time; it was not, however, left to its fate; but strenuous preparations were made in the palace at Brahmavarta to sustain and nourish it even under such adverse circumstances. At the place of honour sat the proud and noble form of Nana Sahib, the very incarnation of the Revolutionary Spirit. His brothers, Baba Saheb and Bala Sahib, and his nephew Rao Sahib, were there, ready to sacrifice their lives, wealth, and comfort for the fulfilment of their leader’s noble objects. Besides these sat the man who, from the low station of a menial servant, had risen inhis master’s favour by means of his industry and ability, the man who had studied the politics and warfare of Europe, determined to utilise that knowledge in the holy war of liberating his country from slavery. This was none other than Azimullah Khan. There also sat the lightning Queen of Jhansi, aiding now the experience of the Revolutionary leaders with her magnificent intuition and inspiring them with her own unbounded love of country and honour. But in this historical meeting, who is the warrior over there, sharpening his sword in the direction of the armoury? Readers, that hero in the armoury is the celebrated Mahratta Tatia Tope. He is the last valiant Mahratta warrior of the School of Shivaji. There are many people who are brave, but the valour of this last Mahratta hero was the sword incarnate drawn by the Mother herself for her freedom. Tatia Tope was born in about 1814. His father’s name was Pandurang Bhat. Pandurang Bhat had eight sons and of them, the second was called Raghunath. It is this Raghunath who shines as the brilliant star of liberty in the galaxy of the heroes of Hindusthan. Pandurang Rao Tope was a Deshasth Brahmin and was the head of the charity department, under the late Bajirao Peshwa at Brahmavarta. In the verandah, Nana Sahib, the Jhansi Ranee, and Tatia Tope played the games of their childhood! Nana Sahib and Tatia Tope were intimate friends from childhood. In childhood, these two were trained in the same school, fitted to perform the heroic deeds which they did in the great event of their later life. They had read the Ramayana and the Mahabharata together; they had read together the accounts of the war-like deeds of the Mahrattas, and their young hearts had throbbed together at the noble inspiration which the stories of Hindu heroism awoke. Towards the end of April, Nana Sahib and Azimullah Khan had travelled through all the chief towns in Northern India to give the necessary unity to the work of the secret organisation. They were now waiting for the appointed time. Suddenly on the 15th of May, the news of the rising at Meerut and the subsequent freedom of Delhi came to Cawnpore. At this news of the premature rising, there was not the least apparent agitation in the palace of Brahmavarta. In a Revolutionary organisation are bound up together thousands of separate parts; it is unavoidable that some should move too quickly and others too slowly, some at the appointed signal and others at the sudden impulse of the moment. The palace at Brahmavarta at once understood the situation and decided to turn the Meerut rising to advantage. But, to take such an advantage, which was the better course? To follow Delhi at once or wait till the first week of June according to the original plan? Of these two alternatives, the latter seemed preferable and, accordingly, the machinery at Brahmavarta continued to work secretly. Cawnpore was, for a log time, an important military station of the English. In Cawnpore, there were the 1st, 53rd and 56th Sepoy infantry, and a regiment of Sepoy cavalry - altogether three thousand Indian soldiers. The cavalty was wholly in the hands of the English and, besides, they had about a hundred English soldiers. The chief officer of the whole army was Sir Hugh Wheeler. Sir Hugh Wheeler was an old and very popular commander among the Sepoys. He had done good service in the Sikh and in the Afghan campaigns. The Government knew full well that the Sepoys were very much attached to him and nobody entertained any serious suspicion that secret societies were working among the Sepoy lines at Cawnpore. About the 15th of May, a peculiar agitation was to be seen in the whole of Cawnpore city. At the news of the doings of the Meerut Sepoys, their Cawnpore comrades had lost their usual stolidity and looked perturbed. But, the English authorities heard the news only on the 18th. As the telegraph communication to Delhi was cut, Sir Hugh Wheeler sent scouts to obtain correct information as to the extent of the disaffection. These scouts met on their way a Sepoy coming from Delhi, but he flatly refused to give any information to the Feringhis! It is a great mystery to English officers how, in 1857, the Sepoys quickly got from distant pointsnews of which the English authorities, with their telegraph system, were ignorant.40 The Sepoys had no necessity of learning of the Meerut rising after it took place; for, even a day before the events, human telegraphs had conveyed to them all detailed information! It is only after the English, at last, got the news of the Meerut rising that they began to think seriously about the secret agitation among the Cawnpore Sepoys. But Sit Huge Wheeler was still confident that the agitation was due to the extraordinary nature of the news that arrived from Meerut and would gradually subside. But there in the city of Cawnpore and in the Sepoy lines, everyone saw clearly that the days of English 40 “Indeed one of the most remarkable features of the mutiny has been the certain and the rapidity with which the natives were made aware of all important movements in distant places. The means of communication is chiefly by runners who forwarded messages from station to station with extraordinary celerity.” – Narrative, page 33. rule were over. Hindus and Mahomedans held big meetings; the Sepoys held secret conferences; school-masters and students discussed the rising; and everyone in the shops of the bazaars openly thought out plans. The fire of popular indignation, so far kept secret, now burst forth openly. People openly discussed in the streets about driving out the English and the Sepoys refused to obey all orders except those given by their Swadeshi superiors.41 When an English lady went to the bazaar to make purchases, in the usual proud and haughty manner, a passer-by came up to her and said with a frown, “Enough of this haughtiness now! You should understand that you will soon be driven out of the bazaars of Hindusthan!” This was the rude awakening first experienced by the English. Seeing that it would be folly to keep quiet under these conditions, Sir Wheeler began to make preparations for the defence. His first thought was to select a place of refuge in case of danger. He selected one near the Sepoy lines, to the south of the Ganes. He fortified itby entrenchments, erected places for mounting guns, and even ordered a supply of provisions to be stored there. But, it is said that the Indian contractor, without Sir Wheeler’s knowledge, put a far smaller quantity of provisions than ordered for. Sir Wheeler and the English officers believed that, even if the Sepoys rose, this place would savethem from any material damage. For they would follow the example of their comrades in other places and march towards Delhi and would leave the English quietly to go down the Ganges and join the army at Allahabad! Sir Wheeler did not rest with the preparation of this fortified place as a protection for the English in case of a rising but he also sent urgent letters to Sir Hentyr Lawrence at Lucknow to send reinforcements! But such was the strength of the Revolutionary propaganda at Lucknow that Lawrence was crying for reinforcements himself! However, he immediately sent towards Cawnpore eighty- four English soldiers, the English artillery under Lieutenant Ashe, and some cavalty. There was nothing special in these preparations which Sir Wheeler made for the defence of the English. But the third remedy which he sought for removing 41 Nanak Chand’s Diary. the danger to the English power was one which now appears very extraordinary and yet gives a true idea of the skill in the Revolutionary organisation of the time. This was the request made by Sir Wheeler to the Raja of Brahmavarta to come to save Cawnpore! The news of Meerut had produced an extraordinary agitation among the ranks of the Sepoys and the common people in the bazaars, but the palace of Brahmavarta appeared as quiet, peaceful, and unruffled as before. It was impossible to have discovered even a ruffle on its surface that would betray the tremendous internal agitation. The movement among the Cawnpore troops at least put Sir Wheeler on his guard. But, he never for a moment entertained any adequate suspicion that the Raja of Brahmavarta would go against him. The man whose crown the English had trampled under foot only a short time before, the Naga snake whom they had only just before enraged by wilfully treading on his hood, from that man the English now asked for protection in their hour of need! The English were not altogether mistaken in this procedure. Nana Sahib was “a gentle Hindu”, and how many cowardly Hindus are there not in India who are harmless and cringing even when trodden under foot by the English? In the pious belief that Nana Sahib was also one of them, Sir Wheeler invited his help. What better chance could there be for the Prince of Brahmavarta! He entered Cawnpore on the 22nd with two guns, three hundred private Sepoys, infantry and cavalry! There was a large number of civil and military officers of the English at Cawnpore. Nana encamped in the very midst of these English people. Now it was certain that, if there was a revolt at Cawnpore, the treasury would be attacked. How best to guard it? Of course by entrusting it to Nana Sahib! Soon two hundred of Nana’s Sepoys began to keep guard over it. Collector Hillersden profusely thanked Nana Sahib and Tatia Tope and it was even proposed that the English women and children should, if necessary, go for safety to the Nana’s palace at Brahmavarta! Here was Mahratta policy! That Nana should be invited with his troops to Cawnpore to ‘protect’ the English and to fight against his countrymen rising for freedom, that heshould take his head-quarters in the English camp, that a treasure of lakhs of Rupees should be entrusted to him for better keeping and, above all this, that the English should thank him for his services! Here is Mahratta policy! Nana paid the English in their own coin. And all this, only a week before the great upheaval! From this it is evident how in 1857, the English were long left groping in the dark and then pushed down the precipice! The knowledge that Independence was the goal and War the means was clearly given to the general populace at that time; but, as to who were the leaders, what was the day of rising, what were the chief centres, all this was kept so secret that not only the English but even the rank and file of the Revolutionary society knew not much about it. The heads of the Central Secret Society and their faithful servants were the only men who had detailed information. This brings out the meaning of what we have said before that there was a secret committee in every regiment. The letter which fell into English hands at Benares was signed only “From a great leader”. The responsible leaders conducted themselves in a manner suited to the work of the Secret Society. Even on the day before the rising, the English had not any adequate inkling about the plans of Emperor Bahadur Shah, Nana Sahib, or the Queen of Jhansi! And, amongst all these the palace of Brahmavarta kept the closest and strictest secrecy. The historian Kaye says: “Nana had not studied in vain the history of Shivaji, the founder of the Mahratta Kingdom!” The chief rendezvous of the secret societies of Cawnpore was the house of Subahdar Tikka Singh. Another place of meeting for the secret societies was the house of the Sepoy leader Shams-ud-din Khan. At these secret meetings, two faithful severants of the Brahmavarta palace household, Jwala Prasad and Mahomed Ali, used to attend on behalf of Nana Sahib. Subahdar Tikka Singh and Jwala Prasad - both hold, freedom-loving, and passionately sincere patriots - soon got a hold on the assembly and the whole army had unanimously sworn to obey their orders. So, the voice of Subahdar Tikka Singh was the voice of the whole army. It was extremely necessary that such a leader and Nana Sahib should personally meet and settle important points. Besides, the settled programme had become useless on account of the Meerut rising and the consequent confusion. It was therefore necessary to alter that programme to suit the changed circumstances, and for this it was decided that Tikka Singh and Nana should meet.42 In their first meeting, a long discussion tookl place. The Subahdar gave assurances that both Hindus and Mahomedans were ready to rise unanimously for Swadharma and Swaraj and were waiting only for Nana’s orders. After this, it was settled that another meeting, more secret and of longer duration, should be arranged to settle the minor details, and the Subahdar returned. On the evening of the 1st of June, Nana Sahib, accompanied by his brother Bala Sahib and his minister Azimullah Khan, came down to the banks of the sacred Ganges. There stood Subahdar Tikka Singh and the heads of the Secret Society awaiting him. The whole company then got into a boat. They entered the waters of the holy Ganges; everyone there took an oath, with the holy water of Ganges in his hands, that he would participate in the bloody war for his country’s liberty. Then followed a deliberation of two hours in which the whole of the future programme was definitely decided upon, and the company returned. Their secrets were known to the sacred Ganges along and in her hands they were safe! But this much is well known that, on the following day, Sham-su-ddin came to the house of his beloved Azizan and told her that within two days the Feringhis would be destroyed and India would be free! Sham-su-ddin did not give this news of freedom to her as empty bravodo; for, the heart of this beauty yearned as much for India’s freedom as that of her brave lover. Azizan was a dancing girl very much loved by the Sepoys; she was not one, however, who sold her love for money in the ordinary market, but in the field of freedom it was given as a reward for the love of country. We will soon show further on how a delightful smile from her beautiful face encouraged fighting heroes and how a slight frown from her dark eyebrows hastily sent back to the field cowards who had come away. While the plans of the Revolutionaries were thus ripening, the terror in the English camp was beyond all description! Sir Wheeler sighed with relief when he got reinforcements from Lucknow and when the treasure and the arsenal had been put under the charge of Nana Sahib. But the English population had lost all courage. The 24th of May was the great Id festival of the Mahomedans. The 42 Forrest’s State Papers and Trevelyan’s Cawnpore. English in every town apprehended a rising on that day. But the leaders in 1857 were not such fools as to rise on such an easily marked day. To keep peace ostentatiously on a day when a rising is expected by the enemy as certain and to burst forth on a day when the enemy thinks there is no chance whatever to trouble, in one of the chief means of carrying a Revolution to success. Therefore, even in Cawnpore, on the day of the Id festival, there was not the slightest disorder. The English were so much frightened that morning that Sir Wheeler telegraphed to Lucknow, “There will be a rising to-day inevitably!” But when, on the evening of thefestival, the Mahomedans paid and received visits as usual, Sir Wheeler was reassured. On the day of the birth of Queen Victoria, the usual salute of guns was not fired in the apprehension that the Seoys would be unnecessarily disturbed by the noise! Some English officers were heartily grieved that, on the birth-day of, Victoria, a salute dared not be fired in her honour; but what could the poor fellows do? If we look at the place erected by the English as a refuge in case of a rising as has been said before, we shall at once understand how helpless the condition of the English had become! Someone would purposely set up a rumour that the Sepoys had risen, as in the story of the wolf and the shepherd-boy, and caravans of the English would begin to run through the street with all possible speed! AN English officer wirtes : “Whilst I was there, buggies, palkies, gharries and vehicles of all sorts drove up and discharged cargoes of writers, tradesmen, ladies, women suckling infants, ayahs and children – and officers, too! – In short, if any insurrection took or takes place, we shall have no one to thank but ourselves, because we have shown to the natives how very easily we can be frightened, and when frightened, utterly helpless!” The cowardice exhibited in this conduct of the English, as this officer says, was thoroughly understood by the populace. When the entrenched place was being erected, had not Azimullah said the same to a Lieutenant in a jocular vein? Azimullah Khan, in his usual sweet voice, asked the lieutenant, “Well, Sahib, what are you going to call this new building which you are constructing here? The lieutenant replied, “Really, I have not yet thought about it.” The smart Azimullah, with a wink in his eye, retorted, “Well, you can just call it ’the castle of despair’.” One day towards the evening, a young gallant Englishman, under the influence of drink, shot a Sepoy. The shot missed but the Sepoy brought a case against the culprit. According to usual custom, the soldier culprit was declared not guilty and released, the reason given beingthat the gun went off while the accused was intoxicated! This decisio was the customary one, but alas! the times had changed!43 At this insult, the whole Lashkar began to mutter among themselves, “Alright, our guns will also soon go off!” This became an exciting catch-word among the Sepoys. When they saw each other, they would say, “Well, now our guns are to go off, aren’t they?” The sarcastic greeting became common in the army. However, they decided to suppress their anger for the time and not to be hastened into a premature rising as at Meerut. To add fuel to the fire, the dead bodies of an Englishman and his wife were carried down the Ganges to Cawnpore. This testimony of the rising, in a city somewhere up the river, began to hold a terrible conversation with the city of Cawnpore. Oh! Ganges, how many more of the impure loads have you to carry before you send them to their ocean home! The English had now been so often deceived by the cry of “The wolf! The wolf!!” that they were frequently slumbering when the wold was really to come. On the 1st of June, Sir Hugh Wheeler wrote to Lord Canning, “Unrest and danger are no more. Not only is Cawnpore safe, but I am soon going to send help to Lucknow!” And the white troops which had come from Allahabad actually started for Lucknow! And that, on the 3rd of June! What a wonder that the plot – in whichthree thousand Sepoys and 43 Trevelyan says :- “The Sepoys, familier as they were with the brutality of low Europeans and the vagaries of military justice would at a less critical season have expressed small surprise either at the outrage or the decision. But, now, their blood was up and their pride awake, and they were not inclined to overrate the privileges of an Anglo-Saxon or the sagacity of the military tribunal.”- Cawnpore, page 93. the whole city of Cawnpore, not excluding the dancing-girls, participated – should be kept sealed from the English and their auxiliary dogs like Nanak Chand! The seal was finally broken on the night of the 4th of June. According to the general programme, by dead of night, three shots were fired and the buildings already agreed upon were set fire to! This was the sign that the time for bloodshed, destruction, and death had begun. In the beginning, Tikka Singh’s horse leapt forth and, immediately, thousands of horses started galloping at a smart pace. Some started to burn English houses and stables, some ran to fetch other regiments, and some went to capture the military flags and banners. When the old IndianSubahdar-Major, in whose charge the flags were, began to dispute with the Revolutionaries, a blow of the sword on his head sent his corpse rolling on the ground. “Subahdar Tikka Sing’s Salaams to the Subahdar of the 1st infantry regiment. He asks the reason why the infantry is delaying when the cavalry had already risen against the Feringhis? Two galloping cavalrymen gave this message, and the whole of the 1st regiment came out with the cries of Victory! and Country! - Din! and Desh! At this, their officer, Colonel Ewart, said, “Oh! my children (Babalog), what is this? This disgraces your loyal character! Wait, children, wait!” But the Sepoys did not waste their time in listening to him. In a moment, the whole regiment marched in military order to jointhe cavalry, and then the whole army together marched to the music of war-songs to the Nana’s camp at Nabobganj! Nana’s Sepoys were ready at the Nabobganj treasury. They embraced their comrades and, at once, the enormous treasure and the great arsenal fell into the hands of the Revolutionaries! While this was going on at Nabobganj, there were still two regiments left behind at Cawnpore. The English immediately called them on parade in order to keep them in their hands. As the English had the artillery in their hands, the two regiments together with their officers stood in arms on the parade ground all night. At daybreak, the English officers satisfied themselves that these regiments at least were notrebellious. They were permitted to go back to their lines and the officers also began to leave. Now, the Sepoys saw a good chance. A couple of officers whispered something from a corner, and suddenly, one of them rushed forward and shouted, “God is on the side of Truth! Brethren, come arise!” At this order, swords began to flash on all sides, and, seeing the crisis coming, the English artillery opened fire. But the Sepoys had already gone beyond its range! It was quite possible for the Sepoys to have killed their officers at the time, but, without going so, they went away to join their comrades at the first opportunity. Thus, three thousand Sepoys encamped near Nana Sahib at Nabobganj, on the 5th of June. Sir Wheeler had one satisfaction - that not a single Englishman was killed. He thought that the Sepoys would, as usual, march towards Delhi, and the danger to Cawnpore would be over. And if there had been a lack of able leaders in Cawnpore as there was in other places, the Sepoys, would, indeed, have gone to Delhi as Sir Wheeler surmised. But, at Nabobganj, at the time, there was no such lack of bold and able leaders. Nana Sahib was there; his brothers, Bala Sahib, Baba Sahib, and his nephew Rao Sahib were there; Tatia Tope was there; and Azimullah Khan too was there. When such brilliant and intellectual leaders were there, what need had the Sepoys to go to Delhi to seek one? The best interests would not be served by shutting up all the available forces in Delhi alone. The successful plan would be to harass the English in various places. Above all, as Cawnpore to a great extent commanded the line of communications between the Panjab, Delhi, and Calcutta, it was necessary to strike a blow at Cawnpore and capture it. When the Subahdar’s and Nana’s men had explained all this to the Sepoys, it was unanimously decided to turn back towards Cawnpore. The three thousand Sepoys elected Nana Sahib their King and expressed an ardent desire to see him. When he appeared, he was hailed with tremendous enthusiasm and they saluted him with all royal honours. When the election of the King was over, with his consent, the Sepoys procceeded to elect their officers; Subahdar Tikka Singh, the very life of the Revolutionary centre at Cawnpore, was elected the chief commander of the cavalty and was given the title of “General”. New army regulations were issued. Jamadar Dalganjan Singh was made the colonel of the 53rd regiment, and Subahdar Ganga Din of the 56th regiment. Then, there was a grand procession of the flag of freedom on the back of an elephant, and on the same day it was proclaimed by beat of drum that Nana Sahib had commenced to reign. After these elections, Nana Sahib did not waste even a second.When the English received the information that the Sepoys did not go to Delhi but had stopped on the way, they entrenched themselves in the new fort and had their artillery ready. Their number was about one thousand, men, women, and children all told. It was of the first importance to capture this fortified place, and Nana Sahib ordered the whole army to march thither. The English were not certain that the Revolutionaries would attack them; but, early on the morning of the 6th, Sir Wheeler received a note. It was from Nana Sahib and was couched in the following terms:- “We are going to begin the attack. We want to warn you, and therefore send this previous notice to you.” When he received this invitation to fight, Sir Wheeler got ready all his officers and soldiers and artillery men, and made all necessary preparations for the fight. The fact that, before beginning the battle, Nana Sahib gave a previous written note to the English when it was in no way called for, is of the greatest importance. The English would certainly not have shown thie generosity had they been in Nana’s place. Those, who always try to pour foul disgrace on Nana Sahib’s name, should bend their heads with shame at this act of natural gallantry! If we remember these two facts, the saving of the lives of all English officers at the time of the rising and the twelve hours’ previous written notice given by Nana Sahib, and then read the final scenes, we will appreciate better the real situation at Cawnpore. Soon after sending the notice to battle to the English Subahdar (now General) Tikka Singh went towards the arsenal and was busy, all the morning, arranging the arms etc.and sending them to the place of attack. Guns were pointed against the English fort from the side of the river as well as from land. The plan of the attack was formed with true military skill. At the same time, the Cawnpore town was also in a tumult! Spinners, sword-smiths, and people from the bazaar, Mussalmans, and the influential silver-merchants - everybody took anything that came to hand and were looking for Englishmen. Offices, courts, and all English records, old and new, were burnt, and those Englishmen that forgot to betake themselves to the fort were killed. It was now mid-day. At about one the English fort began to be beseiged, and, about evening, the guns began to boom and the attack commenced. The English had about eight cannon and plenty of ammunitions which they had already kept buried in the fort. The Revolutionaries, also, had captured the arsenal and the big buns and they too were not hard up for ammunition. General Tikka Singh had from the first kept the artillery in excellent condition. Nana Sahib’s guns played great havoc on the English buildings within the fort. When, on the 7th of June, the artillery of the Revolutionaries began to do its terrible work, English women and children, who had never been in such a plight before, began to run about here and there crying frantically. But habit took away the terror even of death, and balls flying over the heads created no greater surprise than birds flying in the air. Two days after the attack was commenced, the supply of water in the fort began to fall short. There was only one well within the fort which was of any use but the Revolutionaries had a keener eye on it than the English soldiers themselves. The heat of the sun was so strong that the soldiers would die of sunstroke. All hearts became hardened like stone. The difference between the sexes, and modesty, vanished. Children died for want of milk and sorrow killed the mothers. Let alone burying the dead, but it even became impossible to inquire who was dead and who was alive. For even while making a list of the living, some name would have to be scored off. To draw a true picture of such situations, the best way is to describe the events of a typical hour. Captain Thomas, relating his experience, says: “While Armstrong was lying wounded, Lieutenant Prole came to see him. Just as he uttered a few words consolation, a bullet from the Sepoys struck him in the thigh and he fell down. With his hand on my shoulder and mine round his waist, I began to lift him to take him to thesergeant. Before I had gone many steps, there was a buzzing noise and a bullet entered my shoulder. I and Prole both fell dying on the floor. Seeing this, Gilbert Bucks came running towards us. But the enemy’s bullet came after him, pierced his body through, and he fell at once in the jaws of Death.” This account of one hour gives a good idea of the history of those twenty-one days! When Sir Wheeler’s son was wounded, his two sisters and his mother were giving him medical assistance in a room. But, before he could take the medicine, there was a fearful explosion and a cannon ball carried away the young man’s head. While Magistrate Hillersden was talking to his wife in the verandah, a twenty pound cannon ball burst on his head and he was blown to pieces. A few days later, the wall on which the widow was leaning collapsed and she met her death. There were seven women in a ditch near the forst. A bomb explosed and not only killed them all, but it also killed the English soldier who, before the rising, had shot the Sepoy and had been acquitted as not guilty. So at last the guns of the Sepoys also went off! And, when they did go off, it was in such a manner that succeeding English soldiers will remember it for ever, even when under the influence of drink! In this terrible siege, there were, also, some foolish Indians who thought it their duty to be faithful to the English. They were there, in the jaws of death, simply for the sake of “loyalty”! An Indian nurse in the employ of the English lost both her arms by a bomb explosion. Butlers running about here and there to give hot food to their masters also fell dead frequently by shells. Indian bhishtis often risked their lives to give water to the English. Water was so scarce that children would suck the leather bags containing water! Cholera, dysentery, and typhoid also did not fail to take their revenge on the English. Sir George Parker, Colonel Williams, and Lieutenant Rooney died through illness. Those that did not succumb to shells or sickness went insane from the terrific fright of the ghastly living cemetery. Such was the pandemonium there. Sp, in return for the cruel wrongs of a century, Revenge incarnate was crushing everyone she found in her terrific jaws for twenty-one days, and was dancing with a ghastly smile! While such was the state within the fort, the English guns placed outside did great service in the fight. Chief officers of the artillery, Ashe, Captain Moore, Caption Thompson, and other brave soldiers fought with a splendid valour. The English had great hopes of speedy succor from Lucknow or Allahabad. On account of the strict scouting of the Revolutionaries, it had become impossible to carry on correspondence. Still, on Indian messenger had carried as far as Lucknow a letter by Siur Wheeler, partly in Latin, partly in French, and partly in English, and packed in the quill of a bird. It said only, “Help! Help!! Help!!! Send us help or we are dying! If we get help, we will come and save Lucknow!““But, the vigilance of the Revolutionaries was usually so good that hardly any such messenger from the English camp could get back there safe. The English often sent scouts, empowering them to promise lakhs of Rupees if they could find any traitors in the Revolutionary camp. But not one lives to return and give information! For example, we will give an account given by one of the scouts himself. “When Mr. Shephered lost his wife and daughter, he undertook the task of getting information from the Revolutionaries’ camp and sowing dissensions in Cawnpore. He set out in the disguise of an Indian cook. Hardly had he gone a short distance when he was arrested and brought before Nana Sahib. When he was asked about the state of the English, he began to give false and glowing descrptions as agreed upon. But seeing that two women, captured just before he was caught, had told the true story of despair, he got confused. He was first pur in a prison and, on the 12th of July, he was brought before a court and sentenced to three years’ rigorous imprisonment.” From this will be seen the regard for justice which Nana had, even in the heat of the war. Though English scouts were thus baulked, the scouts of the Revolutionaries did their work exceedingly well. One day, a bhishti (water-carrier) stood, on a high piece of ground near the English fort and cried, “Even disregarding the fear of death, since I love the English so much, I have come to convey to you a piece of joyful news. An English army with guns has come up on the other bank of the Ganges. It will start to-morrow to relieve you. This news has created a perfect consternation among the rascally rebels and we, all loyalists, have become ready to join the English!” At this news, the English imagined that their scouts must have successfully sowed discord among the Revolutionaries and, also, that the English army from Lucknow must have arrived. On the next day, the same bhishti came up and cried, “Victory to the English! The English army was late on account of floods in the Ganges; but, now, all is accomplished and they are coming. Before the end of the day, my masters will be victorious.” That day passed, and so also the next; but the strained eyes of the English could see neither the army of succour nor the loyalist bhishti! Azimullah, now, knew enough of the misery of the English camp, and it was not again necessary for the bhishti to risk his life. The English were often taken in by such resourceful tricks of the Revolutionary scouts. After giving notice of the siege on the 6th of June to the English, Nana Sahib had brought his camp close to the besieging armies and near by the tent of General Tikka Singh. When Cawnpore became free, the whole province became flooded by a great wave of Revolution. Every day, new Zemindars and princes came with their retinues and joined Nana Sahib’s camp. Nana had now about four thousand troops under him; but, of these, the artillerymen were the most active in their duties. Here in one quarter Nanhi Nabob took his stand. When the rising began, his house and property were ordered to be confiscated for his fanatical Hindu hatred. But soon, a compromise took place and he joined that war of freedom. The artillery in Nana’s charge were manned by the finest marksmen and old pensioners. While the Revolutionaries were making efforts to set fire to the English buildings within the fort, an amateur artillery man discovered a new explosive. The first experiment was so successful that the barracks, which were of immense value to the English and against which it was thrown, were soon burnt to ashes! There was so much competition amongst the people to join in firing the batteries that women helped men, and old men helped young men in the work. One quotation will show how, in that season of noble ideals and inspiration, the masses had risen up. A native Christian says, “While I sat on a mat disguised as a Mahomedan, I saw men returning to supply waters to those who were fighting. Suddenly, one of them came up to me and said, ‘While our countrymen are fighting there, it is a shame that a young Mahomedan like you should sit here killing flies! Come there to help at the artillery.’ He also told me that the young son of the one-eyed pensioner Karim Ali had done a great deed that day. He had made some discovery and set fire to the English buildings. For this bravery, he was rewarded with ninety rupees and a shawl.” To sit idly, instead of fighting for the country, was considered a disgrace not only toa young man but even to woman; so, the women of Cawnpore had left their Zenans and jumped into the battle-field. But all these young soldiers and heroic women were put to shame by the ardour of a beauty which was no other than the dancing girl Azinan, above-mentioned. She had now put on a heroic garb. With her rosy cheeks and smiling lips, she was there on horseback, fully armed. And the artillery Sepoys would forget all their fatigue at the sight of her. Nanak Chand says, in his diary, “Armed Azinan is flashing everywhere like lightning; often she stands in the streets giving milk and sweetmeats to tired and wounded Sepoys.” Even while the fight was going on in this manner, Nana Sahib was making all possible arrangements for the civil administration. Though it is always a difficult task to introduce order in the revenue and police departments at a critical time like that of a Revolution, Nana Sahib first began the work of giving justice and protection to the inhabitants. The prominent citizens of Cawnpore were called together and the man elected by the majority of them, Holas Singh by name, was given the office of chief magistrate. Nana Sahib gave strict orders that Holas Singh should protect the citizens from disorderly Sepoys or bandit villagers. The work of supplying provisions to the army was entrusted to a citizen, called Mullah. A court was appointed to settle civil and criminal disputes. Jwala Prasad, Azimullah Khan, and others were made judges and Baba Sahib was made the President. From the few documents of this court that are extant, it is abundantly clear that those guilty of oppression or disorder were severely punished and that great care was bestowed on the maintenance of order. A man convicted of a very heinous theft had his right hand cut off. A Mahomedan butcher was given the same punishment for killing a cow. Vagabonds without any profession and people convicted of small thefts were publicly disgraced in the streets on the back of a donkey.44 Like the Committee of Public Safety established during the French Revolution, this court gradually encroached upon all the other departments. To supply ammunition in case of shortage, to supply clothes to the army, to try the arrested English scouts, to 44 Thomson’s Cawnpore. punish rogues who wanted to escape - all these were done by this court. It also gave rewards to those who discovered English refugees. The attack of the Revolutionaries on the English fort took place on the 12th. Rather than take it by a general assault, the general plan of the Revolutionaries was to reduce it by harassing the English on all sides by artillery. They also directed assaults now and then. After both sides had lost some men the Revolutionaries would retire. The vigour and courage of the artillery was not equalled by the cavalry and the infantry. This fault will also be prominently noticed in the sieges of Delhi and Lucknow; but, in the siege of Cawnpore also, more importance was attached to the artillery than to hand-to-hand sight. Not that the Sepoys were, at all, afraid of death. The valour and bravery the Sepoys displayed in the assault, on the 18th of June, on the fort were remarkable. On this day, disregarding the cannon-fire of the enemy, they ran straight, like arrows, at the enemy’s camp, mounted the walls, took an English gun, and turned its mouth, and it seemed for a moment that the flag of freedom would never be set back. Instead of helping such brave Sepoys, some had, on the other hand, sworn as it were to create disorder without reason and bring confusion in all the ranks. This weakness compelled the whole army to return. Like the brave Sepoys of Oudh, some brave hearts at Cawnpore did their duty, as heroes always do, without waiting to see what the others did. One day when the assaulting party was retiring, one Sepoy lay down there, pretending to be dead. When Captain Jenkins, renowned for his bravery and a bold fighter, came up there galloping confidently, the Sepoy jumped suddenly at his prey and shot him dead in the neck in an instant! The 23rd of June came. One hundred years before, on this day, the English had laid the foundations of their power on the battle-field of Plassey. On that 23rd of June, the English got their first decisive victory in Hindusthan. The sting of the insult of that unfortunate day was burning in the heart of Hindusthan so much that, even after a hundred years, that evil day and its evil memory was fresh in the heart of all Indians. The terrible would of slavery inflicted on that day had not been healed even after a hundred years. No balm had yet been found that could heal it! What a righteous hatred was rankling in the heart even of the peaceful and forgiving India? In the last breath of every dying generation and in the first breath of every new one being born, she has been mixing in the spirit of revenge for Plassey! This went on for a hundred years, and the morning of the 23rd of June, 1857, had risen. Astologers had foretold that at last on this day the Mother would be avenged. Nana Sahib! Though the fulfilment of the prophecy is in the hands of God, you are to do your duty towards achieving the end! And not to lose the chance of that auspicious day, the 23rd of June saw the whole of Nana Sahib’s camp in a terrible commotion. All the divisions, if not every man of the army, had got ready to direct an assault as had never been directed before. The artillery, the cavalry, and the infantry - all, inspired by the memory of that historical day, came down into the battle-field. The bravest of them assembled together and took oaths - the Hindus with Ganges water and the Mahomedans on the Koran - that, on that day, they would either acquire freedom or die fighting! The cavalry rushed forward and came up to the walls without heeding the enemy’s artillery. The infantry, under cover of big bags of cotton which they pushed along, showered bullets on the fort, from the other sides. People from the neighbouring villages had also come to join the Revolutionaries. From within the fort, the English also kept up an incessant fire. Though they could not check the forward movement of the Revolutionists, they prevented them from breaking into the fort that day. Nevertheless this last attach at Cawnpore did not go in vain. After that day’s fight the English lost all hope. They were full of despair and saw clearly that it was thenceforth impossible to hold the fort against Nana Sahib. Though not on the 23rd, yet on the 25th of June, they hoisted on their wall the flag of truce! On seeing this flag, Nana Sahib ordered the fighting to stop6 and sent to General Wheeler a letter by the hand of a captive English woman. The note ran: “To the subjects of Queen Victoria. Those who have had no connection with Dalhousie’s policy and those who are ready to lay down arms and surrender will be safely conveyed to Allahabad.” This note was written by Azimullah Khan at the order of Nana Sahib. When General Wheeler received the note, he gave authority to Captains Moore and Whiting to consider it and the two officers resolved upon a surrender to Nana Sahib. The next morning, on the 26th Jwala Prasad and Azimullah Khan, on behalf of Nana Sahib and Moore, Whiting, and Roche, on behalf of the English, met near the walls. First, the conversation began in English, but soon Jwala and Azim forced them to carry on the conversation in Hindusthani - the language of the nation. The terms settled were that the English should hand over all the artillery, arms and ammunition, and the treasure to Nana Sahib, and Nana Sahib should give provisions to and convey the party to Allahabad.45 The agreement was drawn up raised the flat of freedom at Cawnpore, a constant flood of heroes was pouring in thither. Young national volunteers from every place were repairing towards Cawnpore. A town, which could not send men, sent money. But, alas! it was not only these volunteers that were now crowding into Cawnpore. Day and night helpless people, who had been unsuccessful in their efforts and who were tired of English slavery, also came to the camp in large numbers. Thousands of Sepoys from Allahabad and Kashi had come to Cawnpore in the preceding week with the news of the cruel vengeance which the English had taken on their comrades and their wives and children. Hundreds of young Indian sons, whose fathers had been hanged in shapes of the figures - “8” and “9”, also had come there. Husbands whose wives and infant sons in the cradle had been burnt by Neill also came. Fathers whose daughters had their hair and clothes set fire to by English soldiers amid shouts of applause, also crowded the place. Men whose properties were burnt to ashes, men whose religion was trampled under foot, men whose nation had been enslaved, such men created a tumult round the banner of freedom with shouts of “Revenge! Revenge!!” And, when the day of victory had arrived, Nana Sahib’s promise to convey the English to Allahabad dispelled all the hopes of the Sepoys and the people, and they began to grumble aloud. The English officers who came to look after the preparation of boats distinctly heard whispers of “Massacre” (Katal) among the Sepoys lounging about on the banks of the Ganges! 45 Red Pamphlet. It is also said that a palace Pundit had explained to the Sepoys how, in the eyes of religion, there was no sin in beheading men who had broken faith with a nation and had enslaved it!46 On the 27th of June, the sun rose on this disturbed atmosphere. The English were to be seen off from the Sati Chowda Ghat. The cavalry and the infantry stood round the Ghat and the artillery was also in position. Thousands of the citizens of Cawnpore had also assembled at the Ghat, since the morning, to witness the scene on the banks of the Ganges, each with his own mental picture of it. Azimullah Khan, Bala Sahib, and the Commander Tatia Tope, also stood on the terrace of a temple near the Ghat. The name of the temple too was fitting to the occasion. Inside was the image of “Har Dev” and it appeared as if the lordship of the whole region was vested for the time being solely in the hands of Shiva, the Terrible! Nana Sahib had sent the best conveyances to take the English from the fort to the Ganges bank. For Sir Wheeler, a beautifully decorated elephant, with Nana Sahib’s own mahut, came and stood at the gate of the fort. Sir Wheeler did not like the idea of being taken in such a melancholy procession on an elephant; so, he seated his family on it and betook himself to a palanquin. The English women had also palkees allotted to them. The procession started. The English flat at the fort was hauled down and the flag of freedom and religion flew in its stead! Instead of having heart-burnings at this insult to English prestige, the prisoners expressed joy at being released from the jaws of death. In the flush of joy of a renewed life, they left the fort and proceeded hastily - but whither? However, it is useless to discuss that question at this stage. The Ganges ghat is still a mile and a half afar. When this procession, after going though the mile and a half, got down on the sands, the Sepoy lines closed from behind and guarded the way. While embarking on the boats from the palkees and elephants, no Indian came forth that day to help the English. Yes; but there were exceptions. In one or two cases, they did get help when they were getting down but, then, the 46 Trevelyan’s Cawnpore. “Get away! A woman? Yes. But she is a Feringhi! Cut her to pieces!” Before he finished the sentence, the thing was done! Sepoys offered their swords, not their hands. The wounded Colonel Ewart had been put in a doli. A Sepoy stopped his doli and said: “Well, Colonel, how do you like this parade? How are the regimental uniforms?” With these words, he dragged him down from the Palkee and cut him to pieces. His wife was near by. Some said to her : “You are a woman and your life will be spared!” But, one frightful young man rushed forward, shouting, “Get away! A woman? Yes. But she is a Feringhi! Cut her to pieces!” Before he finished the sentence, the thing was done! The English committee itself has admitted after enquiry that all the boats on the river contained ample provisions on board. The English waded through the water and took their seats in them. Everywhere there was a dead silence and calm. The boats were almost crowded. The boatmen were ready with their oars. At last, Tatia Tope waved his hand backward and forward in the air as the sign for the boats to start. Suddenly, in one corner, some one blew a bugle to break the terrible silence. As soon as the shrill sound of the bugle was heard, a crashing noise started -–the noise of guns, rifles, swords, kukris, and bayonets. The boatmen jumped from the boats and came to the bank, and the Sepoys rushed into the water with a jump! No other sound was heard but “Maro Feringhiko!” Soon all the boats caught fire, and men and women and children all jumped hastily into the Ganges. Some began to swim, some were drowned, some were burnt and most succumbed to bullets sooner or later! Lumps of flesh, broken heads, severed hair, chopped-off arms and legs, and a stream of blood! The whole Ganges became red! As soon as anyone took up his head above water, he was shot by a bullet; if he kept it under water, he woluld die of asphyxia! Such was the wrath of Har Dev! Such was the one hundredth anniversary of Plassey! It was ten o’clock in the morning. It is said that, at this time, Nana Sahib was quietly pacing a hall in the palace. What wonder that he was uneasy in that palace, while an account of the century’s wrongs was being settled! Such moments are epochs in history. They are the final strokes of a period, the summary of an age. Heaven knows his thoughts, at that time, when he was pacing the hall! But he was not allowed time to think much longer; for, a cavalryman came galloping fast and informed him that the Sepoys had commenced an indiscriminate massacre of the English on Sati Chowda Ghat. Hearing this, Nana Sahib remarked that there was no necessity of molesting the women and the children and made the same man gallop back fast with the stringent order, “Kill the Englishmen! But no harm is to be done to the women and children!“47 We must notice, while passing, that the second part of Nana Sahib’s order is conspicuous by its absence in Neill’s orders! When Nana Sahib’s order reached Sati Chowda, the Sepoys were in the height of their dread work. Some Englishmen were burning in the heap of tottering boats, while some were attempting to swim across the river. The Sepoys also jumped into the water and followed them like wild dogs, shouting and foaming with rage. With their swords in the teeth and revolvers in the hand, the Sepoys began the terrible hunt in the water. General Wheeler was killed in the first rush. Henderson also fell. But it is easier to given a list of those that survived than of those that died! As soon as Nana Sahib’s order arrived, the massacre was at once stppped and one hundred and twenty-five women and children were taken alive out of the water. They were taken as prisoners to Savda Kothi. The remaining Englishmen were made to stand in a line and the order for their execution was read to them. One of them asked to be given time to read to his comrades some sentences from a prayer-book, and the request was granted.10 When the prayer was finished, the Sepoys quickly cut off their heads with swords! Out of the forty boats, only one boat escaped; and out of the Englishmen in it, only three or four were saved from the attacks of the villagers, and that too, because a Zemindar, called Durvijay Singh, took pity on them! This Zemindar kept the naked and dying Englishmen for a month and then sent them down to Allahabad. In short out of one thousand living Englishmen and women, on the 7th of June at Cawnpore, only four men and one hundred and twenty-five women and children survived on the 30th. The women and children were in the prisons of Nana Sahib and the four half-dead men were partaking of medicine and hospitality in the 47 Forrest’s State Papers. Almost all English historians admit that Nana sent this order as soon as he heard the report. Also Kaye and Malleson’s Indian Mutiny, Vol. II, page 258. house of Durvijay Singh. It is here necessary to record briefly the arrangements made by Nana Sahib as regards the imprisoned women and children. We would have had no occasion to refer to this at all, had not English writers published a series of “reliable information” and most shameless accusations that the women were violated, that they were insulted in the streets, that Nana Sahib himself attempted to violate them, etc., and had not the English nation been so blind and wicked as to believe these despicable and diabolical falsehoods! It is distinctly stated by the special commission appointed by the English in this behalf that all these accusations are false.48 Still this does not end the question. Not only did Nana Sahib save these women from massacre and thus put to Shame Neill, Reynold, and Havelock, but, in that conflagration of 1857, Nana Sahib did not show to the treacherous enemy who ruined individuals, the nation, and religion, even a hundredth part of the severity and cruelty which, in similar conditions and under similar provocations, England herself has shown to India, Austria to Italy, Spain to the Moors, or Greece to the Turks. And this is proved by the histories of the English themselves. In the first confusion of the massacre at Cawnpore, four English women and some half-caste women had been taken away by some cavalrymen. At this news, Nana Sahib had the Sepoys immediately arrested and disgraced. He compelled them to restore the women at once.12 The prisoners were given chapatees, and meat occasionally.49 They were not forced to do hard labour in any sense. The children were given milk. Over them was kept a chief wardress, called Begum. Since cholera and dysentery broke out in the prison, they were brought out to take fresh air, thrice every day.50 It would not be here out of place to give a 48 Muir’s Report and Wilson’s Report, See also, Kaye and Malleson’s Indian Mutiny, Vol. II, page 2. 49 Narrative, page 113. 50 Neill himself says in his report: At first they were badly fed but afterwards they got better food and clean clothing and servants to wait upon.” small anecdote to show how the people were furious even at the name, “English”. One morning, a Brahmin peeped over the prison wall and saw English women who would never go out except in a palanquin, wash their clothes. Moved at this sight, the Brahmin remarked to his neighbour, “Why do they not allow them a washerman?” As a check to this excessive humanity, the neighbour slapped the Brahmin hard in the face! A few of the women in the prison used to grind corn and each of them was given flour for one chapatee free. This showed them what it meant to work for one’s living! What was the end of this imprisonment and what was the reason for that end will appear at its proper time. We will leave the women and children in prison and now turn to more important matters. When all the emblems of English rule had been wiped out of Cawnpore, Nana Sahib held a great Durbar, about five o’clock on the afternoon of the 28th. In honour of the Durbar, there was also a military parade of the whole army present. Six regiments of infantry, and two of cavalry, besides bands of Revolutionaries, with their banners, who had come from various places to join in the war, were present at the ceremony. The artillery by whose power Cawnpore was conquered was deservedly given the place of honour. Bala Sahib was, from the first, very popular in the army and got a splendid ovation when he arrived. At first, there was a salute of 101 guns in honour of the Emperor of Delhi which shows how, in 1857, Hindus and Mahomedans had forgotten all their animosities. Next when Nana Sahib arrived in the camp, he was acclaimed with shouts and received a salute of twenty-one guns. Some said the twenty-one guns represented the twenty-one days of the siege. Nana Sahib thanked the army for the great honour and said, “This victory belongs to all of us. All have an equal glory therein.” It was then announced that Nana Sahib had ordered one lakh of Rupees to be distributed to the army as a reward for its victory and, when he presented himself on the parade, another salute of twenty-one guns was fired. Then, Nana’s nephew – Rao Sahib, and brothers – Baba Sahib and Bala Sahib, each got a salute and seventeen guns in their honour. Brigadier Jwala Prasad and Commander Tatia Tope were given the honour of eleven guns each. In this manner, the evening sun heard the martial song of freedom through the din of cannon, and then the whole army returned to the camp. After the military review, Nana Sahib, in company with his brother Bala Sahib, proceeded to the historically famous palace of Brahmavarta. The 1st of July was fixed as the day of coronation. On that day, what splendour there was in the palace! The old historic throne of the Peshwas was brought with great ceremony into the Durbar Hall, and Nana Sahib, with the royal Tilaka on his forehead, amidst the booming of guns and the thundering applause of thousands, ascended the throne which was indedpendent, earned by his prowess, supported by the populace, and blessed by religion. On that day, hundreds from Cawnpore sent presents to Nana Sahib.51 The Mahratta throne which the English hurled down from Raigarh thus re-emerged out of the Ganges flowing red with English blood. The Hindus all over the land hailed it with “Raja Ramchandra ki Jay!!!” But while Nana Sahib was straining every nerve to regain freedom in childhood, Rani Lakshmi Bai, a fellow competitor with him in childhood at Bramhavarta in horse-riding and elephant-riding, did not keep idle. When Nana Sahib cast the die on the battlefield for independence at Cawnpore, she did the same at Jhansi. She was as close an associate to him in the game of Revolution as she was in the games of childhood. On the 4th of June, on the same day that Cawnpore was suffused with the clouds of fiery fume of cannonade, the Rani of Jhansi too dashed out like lightning and joined the battle of freedom. On the 4th June, Jhansi rose. Before this rising, a few letters fell into the hands of the British commissioner at Jhansi from which it appeared that Lakshman Rao, a Brahmin in the Ranee’s service, was organising a Revolution and, as a preliminary, intended to kill the British officers in command of the army. But while the English were discussing amongst themselves as to what precautions were to be taken, on the same day, the Revolutionists took possession of the fort. Finding this, the English sent to take shelter in the city fort. The Revolutionaries made an attack upon that also, and took it. On the 7th, Rasaldar Kala Khan and Tahsildar Mahomed Hussein 51 Trevelyan’s Cawnpore, page 293. . of Jhansi and other valiant soldiers led the attack and the flag of Revolution was hoisted on the fort of Jhansi. The English, on the other hand, hoisted the white flag and craved for peace. Hakim Salay Mahomed, a prominent citizen of Jhansi, promised to spare the lives of the English, if they surrendered unconditionally. The English laid down their arms, and the doors of the fort were opened. But when the English came out of the gates, the soldiers shouted, “Maro Feringhiko!” The Sepoys had known how the English had massacred their women and children and how Neill had burnt whole villages and were infuriated beyond measure. On the 8th, a procession was led through the city and the English were made to march in the procession as prisoners of war. The very English people, who were wielding the highest authority at Jhansi only a week before, were, to-day, parading as captives. As they were approaching Johan Bagh the Sepoys asked the general, “Rasaldar Sahib, what further orders?” The Rasaldar ordered that the Feringhis who were guilty of treason in having dared to dethrone the Ranee and annex the country should not be spared and that, therefore, they should be drawn up in three separate rows of men and women, and children and, as soon as the jail Daroga decapitated the commissioner in the line of men, immediately the rest of the lines of men, women and children should be beheaded. In a second, blood began to flow in streams. Thus, they died as victims of the merciless annexation policy of Lord Dalhousie refusing to recognise the adoption made by the queen. About seventy-five men, twelve women, and twenty-three children were decapitated by the Revolutionaries and, there being no legal or adopted heir of the English to represent them, the Revolutionaries annexed the Kingdom of Jhansi to the Ranee’s crown as the guardian of her son, Damodar Rao. They declared : “The Universe belongs to God, the country to the Emperor, and the authority to Ranee Lakshmibai.!“52 52 There is an authoritative work on the life of the Queen of Jhansi by a well known Marathi historian, and there the able author has established by an incontestable array of proofs that there was not the least incitement to this massacre from the young Queen. This work has a wide circulation and is translated in other vernaculars in India, and so we think it unnecessary to repeat the argument once more.