WHEN the army of the “mutineers” had been defeated at Cawnpore on the 16th of July, Srimant Nana left Cawnpore and proceeded to Brahmavarta. That night - the 16th of July - was spent by Nana in his palace there, in deliberation as to his future plans; and the very next morning saw Nana Sahib approaching the boats waiting on the river Ganges with his youngest brother Bala Sahib, his nephew Rao Sahib, his aide-de-camp Tatia Tope, with all the ladies belonging to the royal household, and with his treasure and a few supplies. Nana was going to Fatehpur in the Lucknow province. Choudhuri Bhopal Singh, an intimate friend of Nana Sahib, received them there very cordially and entertained them in his house. While Havelock with all his army was besieging Cawnpore and was thinking of pressing on to Lucknow, Nana also was deliberating in full Durbar as to the best means of opposing Havelock.
To find a satisfactory solution to this problem, one person in this Dsurbar was eminently fitted by his extraordinary intellect. His subtle intellect seemed to be ever on the look-out for difficult problems which awaited solution. So far, Tatia Tope had done nothing higher than the work of a clerk; but then, there was nothing beyond the work of a clerk, so far, to be done at Nana’s Durbar. But one glimpse of the spirit of liberty - and the Durbar of Nana, too, showed the characteristic intelligence, alertness, and brilliance of the old Raigarh Durbar. New aspirations were now struggling for fulfilment, fresh thrones had to be established, new armies had to be formed, fresh battlefields had to be fought and won. Now, the joy of victory had gladdened the Durbar but, then, the grief consequent on defeat produced
a reaction. But, in close successioncomes a profound calm; for, vengeance for past insults is being planned; and this calm is being disturbed alone by the still and silent deliberations in the Durbar as to the future plan of the Revolutionary party. It was but natural that the ability, so long latent for lack of scope, should now step forward boldly, that clever schemes, so long only suggested to the mind, should now be readily formulated for action. And it must be admitted that for clever, deep-laid, successful scheming, an equal to Tatia Tope would be hard, indeed, to find.
Tatia’s idea was to reorganise the bands disorganised on account of the defeat at Cawnpore. The splendid logic, the intimate acquaintance with the most secret springs of human nature, and the undaunted daring of this extraordinary man were so superb that whole regiments of rude Sepoys would be ready to rise in his favour with one mind in the course of a single day. When the necessity for reinforcements arose, Tatia had gone straight to Sheorajpur and enlisted the 42nd regiment - lately risen - for the new cause. Meanwhile, Havelock had been preparing to cross the Ganges and advance on Lucknow; so, Tatia decided to harass his rear. How the English commander was, thus, dragged back to Cawnpore, how on his return he saw, to his surprise, the extreaordinary Mahratta ruling in his palace at Brahmavarta, how the English army was forced to give battle at this place, and how, in the encounter, the army of the Revolutionaries was defeated on the 16th of August - all this has been described in a previous chapter. After the defeat, Tatia swam the Ganges with his whole army and joined Nana at Fatehpur. Reinforcements were again necessary. The same problem rose again. But why need Nana worry about reinforcements so long at Tatia Tope was there? The army in the cantonments of Gwalior - anxious to meet the Feringhi in battle - had so far been obliged to keep quiet, because of the ’loyalty’ of the Scindia. To Gwalior, then some- one must be sent - and who fitter than the wily Mahratta who, like the magician who waves a spell round his audience, had seduced and kept within the hollow of his hand whole regiments of Sepoys? Tatia, then, went to Gwalior incognito. And
shortly after, he had seduced the whole army - infantry, cavalry, artillery and all - at Morar, and had even brought them as far as Kalpi. From a military point of view, Kalpi would have been of great help to the Revolutionaries. As the river Jumna flowed between Halpi and Cawnpore, it could serve as a cover against the English army. Tatia realised, then, that after Cawnpore no better base could be secured than the fort of Kalpi and so he took the fort. When Nana heard that he had got a good army and the fort of Kalpi, he consented to make Kalpi his base and sent Shrimant Bala Sahib, as his representative, to occupy the fort and look after it. While Bala Sahib was holding the fort, Tatia began to think of attacking the English army.
At this time, General Wyndham who had earned fame in the bettle-fields of Europe was the chief commander of the Cawnpore regiments. Sir Colin had gone towards Lucknow leaving this small army to protect Cawnpore. Tatia, then, had got his opportunity. The Resolutionaries of Lucknow were engaging the huge army of Sir Colin and keeping it budy; it would be difficult for general Wyndham to get help from outside; and hence, this was the time to surprise him, engage him, and, if possible, to get rid of him. Such was the plan of Tatia. Bala Sahib thought well of this plan and Tatia himself was made commander of the forces. A mere clerk yesterday, this poor Brahmin of the Durbar of Nana was the commander of to-day. He crossed the Jumna and engaged openly in battle with General Wyndham who had spent a lifetime on the battlefields of Europe! And with what means? With the recentlyrisen unorganised Sepoy mass and with the peasant rabble who had accompanied them! He stood face to face with the English army which had all the advantages that organisation, military training, and discipline could give. It was instructive to watch such an encounter, to see how the spirit of independence could meet all the overwhelming advantages on the opposite side. It was a living example and lesson showing to what extent an army without the advantages of discipline but with the spirit of liberty could fight, illustrating with what success it might have fought had it all the advantages of discipline. With the troops of
Gwalior which had joined him, Tatia had reached Kalpi on the 9th of November. Kalpi is situated about forty-six miles from Cawnpore. Having accurately ascertained the exact whereabouts of the English army, he left Kalpi, crossed the Jumna, entered the Doab, and, leaving all his treasure and other things at Jalna, occupied some villages adjoining Cawnpore. He was playing a deep game in not rushing on to Cawnpore immediately after crossing the Jumna. He did not want to annoy Wyndham until news came that Sir Colin had begun to engage in the fight at Lucknow. When that news did reach him, he advanced on Sheorajpur, occupying important positions on the way. About the 19th of November, Tatia, by these clever tactics, was able to cut off all supplies from the British army. Meanwhile, the famous commander of the English forces was certainly not idle at Cawnpore. The stream of the English army flowing from Calcutta was stopped at Cawnpore, and Carthew was sent with a division to establish himself on the road to Kalpi. Wyndham coolly awaited Tatia’s movements. Would Tatia go on to Ayodhya to cut off the rear of Sir Colin’s battalions or would he attack him in Cawnpore itself?
But Wyndham was not a commander who would wait for ever. His daring nature ever pressed him forward. Moreover, he thoroughly believed in the superstition that English troops were superior not only to Indian troops but all Asiatic troops in general and that the best means of defeating Asiatics was to attack them boldly on the front with one heavy charge. “Strong though you may be, the least hesitation on your part to attack,. The least delay, and the Asiatic becomes proud and conscious of power, and becomes aggressive. Thus, even if you are weak, hesitate not, but charge boldly with one united charge, and the Asiatics would be bewildered and fly before you through mere fright.” Such was the thorough belief of the English and, out of the many occasions on which they had acted on this belief, they had been successful on most. It was considered, therefore, quite a rule well-established by experiment, that it was not proportion of numbers but bluff and bullying that was the sure road to
victory; hence, the advisability of a handful of European troops charging a large mass of Asiatics straight likle an arrow! Every English soldier coming out to India was made to learn this rule by heart and every English historian who wrote a book brought this fact prominently before all. General Wyndham, trained as he was in such warfare and with such ideas, was not likely to allow Tatia to make his movements unhampered. He left Cawnpore immediately and moved towards the bridge over the canal near Kalpi.
Tatia, meanwhile, moved from Srikhandi to the river Pandu on the 25th November. When the daring enemy approached so near, the English army prepared for battle and the thoroughly- tried antidote against Asiatic courage just referred to was used on the 26th. On that date, Wyndham started his straight-as-an-arrow attack. The Revolutionaries were ambushed in a thick jungle and they began their cannonade on the English army. After a good deal of exchange of shots, the Engliosh took three of the guns of Tatia and Wyndham almost believed that, once again, owing to his bold charge, his army was successful. His army, too felt the assurance of victory. But it was a vain hope. For, soon the English troops were forced to retire steadily. In an instant, the hope of victory was changed into certain defeat and Tatia pursued him until he had retreated up to Cawnpore. The Revolutionary cavalry at their back would neither attack them nor leave them! They wheeled round and round the enemy, forced the enemy back, and themselves reached the gates of Cawnpore. Instead of taking fright at the charge of Wyndham, Tatia himself began the aggressive, meeting charge with charge.
Says Malleson : “The leader of the rebel army was no fool. The blow dealt by Wyndham, far from frightening him, had disclosed to his mind the weakness of the British leader Tatia Toperead, then, the necessities of Wyndham’s position as he would have read an open book and, with the instincts of a real general, he resolved to take advantage of them.“23
23 Malleson’s Indian Mutiny, Vol. IV, page 167.
Tatia ordered his army which had fought Wsyndham for twenty- four hours without a minute’s rest that they were to be ready by the morning to march against the enemy. But they were not to start the attack until another contingent of the Revolutionaries coming from Shewoli and Sheorajpur opened fire on the right flank of the English army. As soon as that began, however, they were to begin the attack in right earnest. Wyndham meanwhile had led forth his army ready for battle; but when, even after nine, the army of the Revolutionaries did not begin the attack and not a sign of them was visible, the English army returned to camp for breakfast. At eleven, the army was made ready for battle. A vague uncertainty as to the real intention of Tatia pervaded the atmosphere.
This was soon made known, however, in a terrible manner; for, cannon-balls were sent flying from the Revolutionary guns against the right wing of the English. The vanguard, too, was attacked by Tatia. Directly after this, Wyndham sent Carthew with six guns to the road to Brahmavarta to protect that part of Cawnpore. And now a regular cannonade began. Soon it appeared that the English artillery-men were falling back. Tatia had arranged his army in a semicircle and his game was to close on the enemy from the front and the flanks. Wyndham tried his best to break through the circle but the guns of Tatia would not allow him to advance even a step. It seemed they could not even maintain their position, and the English, within a short time, began to show signs of retiring. Seeing that the left wing had retired leaving their guns behind the right wing held on for a time and tried to keep the guns. But they could not hold much longer. As they too retreated, the semicircle of the Revolutionaries closed on them more tightly. By six in the evening, the English army was thoroughly demoralised. A short while more and the rout was complete. Thousands of tents and oxen, a great quantity of provisions and clothing fell into the hands of the Revolutionaries. Half of Cawnpore was now in the hands of Tatia. Thus, the second crown of victory crowned this brave and stalwart Mahratta.
Yesterday’s battle gave him a victory which was but indirect and partial, but today’s victory was complete and direct. For he had not merely defeated the clever and famous commander of the English in a battle which lasted a whole day, but he had routed the English army thoroughly; he had captured the whole camp, tents and all; he had driven them out of a portion of Cawnpore and himself retaken the city. Even English historians admit that, if his army had been as disciplined as he was capable, he would have been able to destroy Wyndham’s army completely.
And now the cannonade of Tatia had reached Sir Colin’s ears. When Tatia came to Cawnpore, he believed as certain that Sir Colin would be engaged at Lucknow at least for a month. But soon, Tatia heard that, in some unforeseen way, the Revolutionaries had been got rid of by Sir Colin, and it seemed now pretty certain that Sir Colin would attack him, and try to close him in by attacking him from both the sides of the Ganges. Tatia’s face clouded with anxiety at this news. Wyndham felt very hopeful. That, very night, Wyndham resolved to win back the glory he had lost during the day. But his men were all tired and therefore, giving up the idea of the night attack, he began to prepare for giving another battle the next morning. He tried to repair the mistakes of the previous day and determined on an attack. The fight began early in the morning. The Revolutionaries aimed their artillery on both flanks of the enemy. The fight went on as on the previous day till midday. But this day, the English did not retire. They assumed the aggressive and began a determined, united, formidable and, as they thought, irresistible, charge.
Irresistible indeed! The right wing is absolutely shattered! Brigadier Wilson is down! Captain M’Crea is no more! Morphy, Major Stirling, Lieutenant Gibbins, all are down! Aye, Asiatics can produce a Tatia, after all! The third day, then, saw a victory for Tatia and his followers, for they fought hotly and well till late in the evening and they had routed what remained the English army. The English army was more completely routed than even on the day before, both the wings having been actually driven from the field on this last day. And Tatia had now captured the whole of Cawnpore and thus the third crown was shining on the sword of the brave Mahratta.24
Just when the English army was being routed, the commaner-in- chief, Sir Colin, arrived in their camp. He realisedd the extent of the injury done to British prestige by Tatia; he saw, with his own eyes, the English troops flying for their very life and the victorious troops of the Revolutionaries persuing them; and he heard, with his own ears, the trumpets and drums proclaiming the victory of the Revolutionaries! He saw the importance of the struggle Tatia was carrying on at Cawnpore.
Tatia on his part realised that Sir Colin was enabled to march back to Cawnpore, just at this juncture, to the help of the English army, only through the utter failure of the Revolutionary party to hold their own at Lucknow. But he did not get disheartened. He smashed the bridge near Ayodhya to render it impossible for the English army to cross the Ganges; he also stationed guns near the place. But the enemy understood his game and, in the face of the fire, crossed from Ayodhya to Cawnpore before the 30th of November. In the camp of Tatia, Nana Sahib and Kumar Singh had also arrived. These leaders dedtermined that, instead of leaving Cawnpore, it would on the whole be more creditable to meet the commander-in-chief in
24 The following graphic picture is given of the defeat by an English officer : “You will read
the account of this day’s fighting with astonishment; for it tells how English troops, with their
trophies and their mottoes and their far-framed bravery, were repulsed, and they lost their
camp, their baggage and position to the scouted and despised natives of India! The beaten
Feringhis, as the enemy has now a right to call them, have retreated to their entrenchments
amidst overturned tents, pillaged baggage, men’s kits, fleeting camels, elephants and horses,
and servants. All this is most melancholy and disgraceful.” - Charles Ball’s Indian Mutiny, Vol.
II, page 190.
battle, especially as “they had, as their leader, a man of very great natural ability!”25
Tatia stationed his left wing in a well-protected position between Cawnpore and the Ganges. His centre was right in Cawnpore city. And his right extended behind the Ganges canal and held a bridge over it. In his army, there were ten thousand trained sepoys. With these he kept Sir Colin busy on the 2nd, he actually opened fire on Sir Colin’s tent. On the 6th, Sir Colin was forced to accept the open challenge of the Revolutionaries. Consolidating, therefore, his army of seven thousand in an admirable manner, he began his attack on these insolent “mutineers” who could dare to attack the camp on the commander-in-chief himself. Seeing the right wing of the Revolutionaries unprotected, Sir Colin determined to charge on the right.
But in order to draw off their attention from the right and direct it towards the wrong direction, the English opened fire early in the morning of the 6th on the left wing of the enemy, who were soon engaged in repelling the attack. A mock charge was meanwhile made on the centre, too, by Greathed. So believing that the enemy’s objective was the left and the centre, the Revolutionaries began to concentrate their strength on these. While the left was seriously suffering from the artillery of the British, the English began suddenly to return to the right of the Revolutionary army. But the Gwalior contingent stationed on the right by Tatia began a furious cannonade on the Sikhs and the English who were charging. The rifles of the Panday army, too, were very active. But the Sikhs made, “double march”, and rushed forward, being backed up by Peel’s white troops, and the Gwalior army, under this double fire, showed signs of retiring. As soon as that was apparent, the fire of the enemy was reduced and soon the Gwalior army was scattered completely. All their guns were captured and a furious pursuit of them began on the Kalpi road. A complete victory was thus
25 Malleson’s Indian Mutiny, Vol.IV, page 186.
obtained by Sir Colin so far as the right wing was concerned; but, he was not satisfied with that. He had an idea of blocking completely the road to brahmavarta on the left, as he had blocked the road to Kalpi on the right, and thus, of capturing Tatia with his whole army. So he despatched Mansfield to the road leading to Brahmavarta. On this day, the well- established proposition about Asiatics, referred to above, seemed to have been confirmed both positively and negatively. The feigned attack on the left made by Greathed was so weak that, had the Pandays made but one attempt to repel it, not only would Greathed have been punished in a way he would have remembered to the end of his life, but the very fortunes of the day would have been changed. As it was, the Revolutionaries began to give way under the straight attack of the English. While this affirmative part of the proposition, viz., that, at a good charge and at a show of audacity, the Asiatics lose heart, was being confirmed on the centre emphatically; on the left, the negative part too was being realised in an unmistakably clear way. For when the Revolutionaries saw Mansfield coming, crouching a roundabout and concealed manner, they attacked him even though he had a large division. Nana himself commanded the left. He took full advantage of the slow movements of Mansfield. When Sir Colin was inquiring whether Tatia had been hemmed in or not, he heard with regret that through the dilatory movements of Mansfield, he had been foiled in his desire. He did not succeed in capturing Tatia Tope!
For, that Mahratta general had pressed Mansfield and pressed him as far as Brahmavarta. He had broken through the network of the English army, and had gone off with his army and with all his guns. How many more networks the English general would have to spread before they could succeed in capturing the Mahratta tiger will appear in a future chapter.
Though Tatia was able to escape, on this day, with all his men and all his guns, Hope Grant was pursuing him closely and, on the 9th of December, a running fight ensured between Tatia and the English near Sheorajpur; and, though Tatia did break through this time too, most of his
gung fell into the hands of the enemy. Thus, in an intervcal of two days between the 6th and the 9th, Sir Colin was able to repair the defeat of Wyndham, to capture thirty-two of the Revolutionary guns, and to break up their army, forcing some towards Kalpi and the rest on to Ayodhya. After obtaining these big victories, he thought that minor victories were surely within reach. So, he marched on to Brahmavarta, looted the property there, razed the palace to the ground, and, to crown all his triumph, demolished the sacred temples of that city.
It was in this palace that the brightest gems of India, Nana and Tatia, Bala and Rao, and the “Chhabeli” of Jhansi had been bred and brought up. It was this palace that first conceived the Warf of Independence of that glorious year. The temples of that city had blessed the birth of the ideal. When the throne of Raigarh which had been snatched from the Mahrattas had been re-established again in this palace washed by a free flow of the stream of English blood, the palace and these temples had been illuminated. That very fire which could produce all the illuminations had been instrumental in reducing them to-day to ashes. But history need not drop a tear on these scared ashes. For this palace and these temples had been burnt down only after they had accomplished their task. The very extinction of such structures is more inspiring, a thousand times more life-giving, than the existence of hundreds of other structures which are but monuments of slavery; for these have attempted to give birth to independence; and they have died in that attempt. Far more profitable is death through the attempt to establish Swaraj than life in slavery. The sacred fuel burning in the sactificial fire is a thousand times more life-giving than the log of wood burning in the funeral pyre.