INDIAN WAR OF INDEPENDENCE 1857

ORIGINAL PUBLISHER'S NOTE

Most historians, British as well as Indian, have described and

dismissed the rising of 1857 as a 'Sepoy Munity' or at best 'The Indian
Mutiny'. Indian revolution is on the other hand, and national minded leaders
thinkers have regarded it as a planned and organised olitical and military
rising aimed at destroying the British power in India.
Mr. Sawarkar's is an attempt to look at the incidents of 1857
from the Indian point of view. A leading revolutionary himself, was attracted
and inspired by the burning zeal, the heroism, bravery, suffering and tragic
fate of the leaders of 1857, and he decided to re-interpret the story and to
relate it in full with the help of all the material available to him at the time.
He spent days and months at the India Office Library studying the period.
Finally, his work was published in 1909, under the title "The Indian War of
Independence -1857". The full story of its publication and eventual fate is
related, at length, elsewhere in this volume. We shall only mention here that
its entry into India was banned by the Government even before it was
published. This ban was finally lifted by the Congress Government of
Bombay in May 1946, and this is the first authorised edition of the book to
be published in India.
As the publishers of this edition we take here the opportunity of
recording our sense of gratitute to Mr.G.M.Joshi, editor of the Marathi
weekly journal Agrani, for making this work available to us, and for his
continued interest in it while it was going through the press. But first of all,
we are indebted to Mr. Savarkar himself for letting us publish this book. For,
ever since the ban on it was lifted the public has been eagerly waiting for it
to reappear. We consider it a matter of pride that we should be permitted to
present it to the public.
The publication of this edition in the present form would hardly
have been possible but for the hearty co-operation of many of our friends.
First among these is our artist friend Mr.M.G.Godse, who not only planned
and supervised the entire lay-out and get-up of the book, but took more than
mere professional interest in the whole work.
The value of this edition is further enhanced by the many rare
photographs and pictures kindly lent by Mr.R.M.Athawale from his special
"Sattavani Collection" which is intended for his forthcoming work, in
Marathi, on 1857. He has spent years in studying the subject, and has taken a
good deal of trouble to collect the material for his work. It is because his
high respect for Mr. Savarkar and his special regard for Mr. Savarkar's
history of 1857 that he has lent his material to us. Among the pictures lent
by him, the one of Maharaja Jayaji Rao Scindia of Gwalior, and those of two
of Rani of Jhansi's cannons were given him by the Archaeological
Department of Gwalior State for suitable use. We are thankful to Mr.
Athawale for allowing us to use of these also.
We are also thankful to Mr. Purav, photographer; Mr.
H.S.Dhargalkar, of India Block Co.; Mr. D.D.Neroy, Block-maker;
Mr.M.V.Kamat, of Bombay Process Studio; and to the Industrial Art Studio,
Bombay. They all went out of their way to execute our work at the shortest
notice and without the least hesitation. Last of all, we must thank the printers
and other workers of the Karnatak Printing Press for the care and despatch
with which they handled the work.

THE STORY OF THIS HISTORY

" An honest tale speeds best By being plainly told."

- Shakespeare
Apart from the splendid merits of the subject matter dealt with in the warlit
pages of this history of "The Indian War of Independence of 1857", the story
of the thrilling vicissitudes through which this book had to pass does by
itself entitle it to be placed on the classical shelf in any world library.
The Object and the Name of the Book
 Veer Savarkarji, the famous author of this book, did himself
explain in an article in the "Talwar", an organ of the Abhi Nava Bharat
Revolutionary Society, which was started by him and published in Paris, that
his object in writing this history was, subject to historical accuracy, to
inspire his people with a burning desire to rise again and wage a second and
a successful war to liberate their motherland. He also expected that the
history
should serve to place before the revolutionists an outline of a
programme of organisation and action to enable them to prepare the nation
for a future war of liberation. It would never have been possible to preach
such a revolutionary gospel publicly throughout India or carry conviction so
effectively as an illuminating illustration of what had actually happened in
the nearest past would do. So he invoked the warriors of 1857 to deliver his
message through their own mighty words and mightier deeds.
The ideal of absolute political Independence, and the conviction
that the ultimate and inevitable means to realize that ideal could be no other
than an armed national revolt against the foreign domination.- were
concepts which in those days - lay even beyond the horizon of the then
political thought and action in India. The very mention of them was brushed
aside as chimerical by the then extremists, was denounced as criminal by the
loyal moderates and was even anathematised as immoral by the half-witted
moralists ! But these self-same concepts formed the two fundamental tenets
of the A.N.B. (Abhi Nava Bharat) Revolutionary organisation. "Reforms and
a peaceful solution" formed the alpha and omega of the ambition of the then
Indian National Congress itself. Independence, Revolution- let alone a War
for Independence - were as a rule words almost unknown, unheard and
inconceivably incomprehensible even to the highly patriotic Indian world. It
was to familiaze this Indian patriotic world with at least these words in daily
thought, and by their constant repetition, like that of a 'Mantram\ to
hypnotize the youthful political mind into a subconscious attraction for the
noble concepts, which the words connoted - that Savarkar, who as a
Historian would have called this book a history of the 'National Rising' or of
the 'Revolutionary War of 1857', did, of a set design, name it the history of
"The Indian War of Independence of 1857."
Veer Savarkar always emphasized the necessity in the Indian
condition of carrying politics and patriotism to the camp, to the military
forces in India, for rendering any armed revolt practical. The history of the
Revolutionary War of 1857 proved beyond cavil or criticism that only some
fifty years previously our ancestors had aimed to achieve absolute political
independence, could bring about the active and armed participation in the
National struggle of the military forces and could wage an inexorable war
for the liberation of our motherland. He consequently felt that this history it
told viewing it through such a revolutionary perspective was most likely to
animate the rising generation of India with the faith that there was no reason
why it should not be practicable and even more faithful to try again as, at
any rate, there was no other way to salvation. How far this expectation of the
author was realized will be seen as this story proceeds.

Originally written in Marathi

This book was written originally in Marathi, in 1908, when

Veer Savarkar was about twenty-four years of age. Some select chapters
used to be reproduced in English, in speeches which Veer Savarkarji usedd
to deliver at the open weekly meetings of the Free India Society in London.
Perhaps through this channel or otherwise the detectives got some scent of
the subject-matter of this book which their reports dubbed as revolutionary,
explsive and highly treasonous. Soon a chapter or two of the Marathi
manuscript were found missing, which, it was disclosed later on, were stolen
by the detective agents, and found their way to the Scotland Yard, the
headquarters of the British Intelligence Department in London.
Nevertheless, the Marathi manuscript was sent to India by the revolutionists
so secretly and cleverly that, foiling the strict vigilance of the customs
authorities of the Indian Ports, it reached safely its destination. But the
leading press-concerns in Maharashtra dared not run the risk of printing the
volume. At last, the owner of a printing firm who was himself a member of
the Abhi Nava Bharat Secret Society undertook to publish it. In the
meanwhile, the Indian police too got some vague information that the
volume was being published in Marathi. They, thereupon, carried a number
of simultaneous surprise raids on some prominent printing houses in
Maharashtra. But fortunately, the owner of the Press, where the book was
being actually printed got a hint through a sympathetic Police Officer and
succeeded in smuggling out the Marathi manuscript to a safer place just
before the search party arrived. The manuscript was later on sent back to
Paris, instead of to London, and fell into the hands of its author.
Finding thus that it was impossible to get it printed in India, it
was decided to get the Marathi book printed in Germany, where some
Sanskrit literature used to be published in the Nagari script. But after a lot of
waste of money and time, the scheme had to be given up as hopeless, owing
to the uncouth and ugly Nagari type cast in Germany, and to the fact that the
German compositors were absolutely ignorant of the Marathi language.

The History translated into English

The A.N.B. Revolutionary Party resolved thereupon to publish,

at least, the English Translation of this History of the Indian War of
Independence of 1857 with a view to enabling the English speaking public,
both in India and outside, to know its contents. A few highly intellectual
Maratha youths in London, members of the A.N.B., distinguished graduates
of Indian Universities studying Law, and candidates for the I.C.S.
Examination, volunteered to translate the voluminous work into English.
After the translation was complete under the supervision of Sriyut
V.V.S.Aiyer, efforts were made to get it printed in England. But the British
detectives, too, were not idle, and made it impossible for any British printer
to undertake the publication of it for fear of being prosecuted forthwith. The
English manuscript was then sent to Paris; but the French Government at
that time was so thoroughly under the thumb of England, with whom France
had to ally herself in order to face combinedly the impending danger of a
German invasion that the French detectives were working hand in hand with
the British police to suppress the A.N.B. revolutionary activities in France;
and under their threat, even a French printer could not be found ready to run
the risk of printing this history. At last by a successful ruse, the
revolutionists persuaded a printing firm in Holland to print the book. The
British Intelligence Department continued to grope in the dark, as the
revolutionists publicly gave it out that the English translation was being
printed in France. Before the British detectives could get any inkling, the
volume was printed in Holland and the whole edition of the English
translation was smuggled into France and kept secretly ready for
distribution.
In the meanwhile, before the book was sent to Holland for
getting it printed, the British and the Indian Governments got so nervous,
and dreaded so much the effects of Savarkar's writings that they proscribed
the book which they admitted was not yet printed ! This was so high-handed
a step on their part that the English papers themselves resented this action of
proscribing a book before its publication- a case almost unprecedented in a
land which boasted of its Freedom of the Press. Veer Savarkar also did not
spare the Governments and poured vials of ridicule on the proscribing order
in a spirited letter which he wrote to "The London Times". He challenged in
it, "It is admitted by the authorities that they were not sure whether the
manuscript had gone to print. If that is so, how does the Government know
that the book is going to be so dangerously seditious as to get it proscribed
before its publication, or even before it was printed? The Government either
possess a copy of the
manuscript or do not. If they have a copy, then why did they not prosecute
me for sedition as that would have been the only course legitimately left to
them? On the contrary, if they have no copy of the manuscript how could
they be so cocksure of the seditious nature of a book of
which they do not know anything beyond some vague, partial
and unauthenticated reports?" The "London Times" not only published the
letter, but added a note of its own that the very fact that the Government
should have felt it necessary to have recourse to such presumably high-
handed and extraordinary executive steps proved that there must be
"Something very rotten in the State of Denmark."
After getting the English translation printed in Holland, the
revolutionists smuggled into India hudreds of its copies by ingenious
devices. Many of them were wrapped in artistic covers specially printed with
such innocuous and bogus names as "Pickwick Papers," "Scot's Works,"
"Don Quixote" etc. Several copies got smuggled in bozes with false bottoms.
It will be interesting to note that one such box, containing a number of
copies under a false bottom, was taken into India by a youthful member of
the Abhi Nava Bharat named Shikandar Hayat Khan who later on was
known to fame as Sir Shikandar Hayat Khan, the chief minister of the
Punjab. Even vigilance of the Argus-eyed monster of the Bombay Customs
House failed to spot these dedvices and thousands of copies did thus reach
their destination in India addressed to many prominent leaders, members of
Abhi Nava Bharat, leading libraries, colleges and especially to secret
sympathisers who had access to several military camps throughout India. All
these copies of this first edition of this history were sent free, even the postal
charges being defrayed by the A.N.B.Revolutionary Society. It was then
openly published in France, was freely circulated and widely read by leading
English historians, politicians and revolutionary circles especially in Ireland,
France, Russia, America, Egypt and Germany.

The "Gadar" in America and the second English Edition.

 In the year 1910, the British and the Indian Governments
launched a violent campaign of persecutions and prosecutions with a view to
crushing the Abhi Nava Bharat Secret Society. Several Indian
revolutionaries were hanged; several transported for life; hundreds sentenced
to terms extending from ten to fourteen years of rigorous imprisonment. The
heroic story of Veer Savarkar's arrest, escape, re-arrest, persecution,
prosecutions and consequent trfansportation to the Andamans for two life-
sentences amounting to at least fifty year's imprisonment, is well-known to
be recited here. No sooner did the Abhi Nava Bharat organisation recover
from this stunning blow than Madam Cama, the well-knopwn brave Parsi
lady, Lala Hardayal, Chattopadhyaya and other leaders of the
A.N.B.Revolutionary Party decided to bring out the second English edition
of this book. Lala Hardayalji organised the American branch of the A.N.B.
and started his well-known newspaper "The Gadar"-(Rebellion) in America.
Not only was the second English edition of this Indian War of Independence
of 1857 published this time for regular sale to replenish the party funds; but
translations of this history were published the party funds; but translations of
this History were published regularly in Urdu, Hindi and Punjabi languages
secretly through the "Gadar". It aroused the Sepoys in the Army, as the
"Gadar" reached several camps in India and especially the large number of
the Sikh agriculturists settled in America. Soon after that, the First World
War broke out. How the Indian revolutionists in India and outside joined
hands with the Germans against England, how large amounts of arms and
ammunitions were smuggled into India, how the ' KomagatamarU
succeeded in landing revolutionary forces in India, how the Emden
bombarded Indian ports,. How mutinies broke out in Indian regiments
stationed at Hong Kond, Singapore, and Burma under the leadership of
Gadar party and how this attempt by the Indian revolutionaries to invade
India to liberate her was at last frustrated owing to the defeat of the
Germans, is now a matter of history. Nevertheless, this revolutionary
campaign proved to be a veritable rehearsal of the recent Military Invasion
attempted on a mightier scale by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose with the
I.N.A. Throughout this later revolutionary movement, it became evident
from the trials of hundreds of leaders and followers that this history of the
first Indian War of Independence of 1857 proved to be a perennial source of
inspiration, and even provided a detailed sketch of the programme of action.
The demand for its copies was so great that they used to be sold and resold,
in cases, for such fabulolus prices as 300 Rupees each. Thousands of the
arrested revolutionaries were found in possession of them, and possession of
a copy of this book was taken to be a proof by itself of the complicity of the
possessor in the revolutionary activities.

"The OriginalMarathi Book is Dead!- Long live the book!!"

After the arrest of Veer Savarkar the manuscript of the original

Marathi book was handed over to Madam Cama in Paris. She kept it in her
safe in the Bank of France with a view to placing it beyond the reach of the
Agents of the British Intelligence Department. But the invasion of France by
the Germans threw the Government of France itself into a hopeless disorder.
Madam Cama too, passed away. Consequently, when a searching enquiry
was made regarding the whereabouts of the book no trace of the manuscript
could be found. The great Marathi tome was lost- no hope of its recovery
was left. Marathi literature had thus suffered an irreparable loss.

The Third Known English Edition of the History

As we are noting down only those editions of which we have

definite knowledge, leaving out of count those of which rumour alone
informs us, the next English edition we must take cognizance of, is that
which, after the re-emergence of the revolutionary party on an all India
basis, was printed and published in two parts, of course secretly, under Veer
Bhagatsing's lead. It was sold widely at high prices and the proceeds went to
swell the party funds. The few copies, almost religiously preserved even at
the risk of prosecution and persecution, which can be rarely found even to-
day, belong, in the main, to this edition. The conspiracy cases which
followed the arrest of Veer Bhagatsing and his leading comrades revealed
the fact that copies of this book were found in searches in the possession of
almost all the accused and that this History animated them to face
martyrdom and guided them to chalk out the revolutionary programme- to
organise an armed revolt to liberate our motherland !

The Indian National Army organised by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and
the Fifty English Edition.

The well-ascertained fifth edition came to light in the days

when the last and the most determined efforts was made to organize an army
on the large scale, yet recorded, to invade India to free her from the British
bondage, by Rash Bihari Bose, the President of the Hindu Maha Sabha
branch in Japan, and which army was later on commanded by Netaji Subhas
Chandra Bose. Unimpeachable evidence recorded by patriots and warriors
who took an actual part in the invasion shows that this 'History' was read and
re-read in their camps and was looked upon as a veritable text-book for the
soldiers and officers in the army. A stray copy of a Tamil edition was also
ransacked. Its tattered pages were glued and the volume was rebound and
circulated in the army. But it is not known when or by whom the Tamil
translation was made and published.

The Sixth English Edition to Challenge the Ban on the Book

While throughout the last thirty or forty years the revolutionists

were thus bringing out secretly, edition after edition of this history, an open
public agitation was also ging on in India demanding the raising of the
Governmental ban not only on this history but on several other books written
by Veer Savarkar. Public meetings and protests made by literary societies
went unheeded by the British Government in England as well as in India.
Even when the so called National ministries formed by the Congressites
came to power some ten years ago, they too did not raise the ban on
Savarkarite literature as perhaps, it not only did not countenance but
positively denounced the vagaries of the half-witted and even immoral
doctrine of absolute non-violence to which the Congressites swore only
verbal allegiance. But when the recent World War II was over and the
present Congressite ministries came into power, the public demand for the
raising of this ban grew so unruly that some enthusiastic patriots threatened
to challenge and break the ban. They raised funds and secretly printed a new
English edition in Bombay with a view to selling it openly and publicly
courting arrests. They even informed the Congressite ministers of their
intention.

The Ban Raised at Last after some Forty Years of Proscription.

When matters came to this pass and as the Government too was
inclined to reconsider the question, the ban on Savarkarite literature as a
whole, which continued to be proscribed for some forty years in the past,
was raised by the Congressite ministry at long last, upon which sane act they
deserve to be congratulated.

"The Book became the Bible of the Indian Revolutionists"

It will be evident from the story as recited above that the book
continued to be regarded as a veritable Bible by the Indian Revolutionists
ever since the armed struggle for Indian Independence initiated by the Abhi
Nava Bharat bands down to recent times when full-fledged armies marched
to the battle-fields under Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. Directly and
indirectly the book has influenced, animated and guided at least two
generations in India in their struggles to free the Motherland. That is why the
Nation itself made it a point of honour to keep the book alive as a national
asset in defiance of the violent efforts of the foreign government to suppress
and kill it. Its survival despite of it all is almost miraculous. Miraculous too
is the survival of its illustrious author who, in spite of untold sufferings and
sacrifices, trials, tribulations and transportations, has been spared by
Providence to witness the triumphant march of the Revolutionary principles
and programmes which he as a SEER preached and as a WARRIOR fought
to carry out.

The Book Pays out National Debt to the Memory of the Warriors of 1857

We cannot do better than to quote Shrijut Subbarao, the gifted

editor of the 'Gosthi' to illustrate the above truth :
" The British Raj in India has treated Savarkar's book as most
dangerous for their existence here. So it has been banned. But it has been
read by millions of our countrymen including my humble self. In trying to
elevate the events of 1857, which interested Historians and Administrators
had not hesitated to call for decades as an 'Indian Mutiny', to its right pose of
'Indian War of Independence'. All be it a foiled attempt at that ! It is not a
work of a Patriotic Alchemist turning base mutineering into noble
revolutionary action. Even in these days what would the Mahatmic school
have called the efforts of Subhas Bose's Azad-Hind-Fouj if Savarkar's
alchemy had not intervened ? True. Both the 1857 and 1943 'Wars' have
ended in failure for our country. But the motive behind- was it mere
Mutineering or War for Independence ? If Savarkar had not intervened
between 1857 and 1943, I am sure that the recent efforts of the Indian
National Army would have been again dubbed as an Ignoble Mutiny
effectively crushed by the valiant British-cum-Congress arms and
armlessness. But thanks to Savarkar's book Indian sense of a "Mutiny" has
been itself revolutionised. Not even Lord Wavell, I suppose, can now call
Bose's efforts as a Mutiny. The chief credit for the change of values must go
to Savarkar- and to him alone. But the greatest value of Savarkar's Book lies
in its gift to the Nation of that Torch of Freedom in whose light an humble I
and a thousand other Indians have our dear daughters named after Laxmibai,
the Rani of Jhansi. Even Netaji Bose in a fateful hour had to form an army
corps named after Rani of Jhansi. But for Savarkar's discovery of that valiant
heroine, Rani of Jhansi should have been a long-for-gotten 'Mutineer' of the
nineteenth century."
- Free
Hindusth
an,
Sopecial,
28th
May,
1946

This history has literally resurrected from continuing to be

entombed in oblivion the spirits of the bravest of the leaders, warriors and
martyrs who fell fighting in 1857, and taught us to pay our admiring and
loyal tribute to Nana Sahib, Bala Rao, Kumar Singh, Mangal Pande, Ahmad
Shah, the Queen of Jhansi, Senapati Tatia Tope and hosts of our warriors.
The names could never have been on the lips of millions today but for the
researches of Veer Savarkar guided by a gifted intuition and on a par with
such excavationas at Mohenjodaro.
It cannot but be a source of satisfaction to Veer Savarkarji that
the expectations he cherished about this History, when he wrote it in his
youth, should have been realised before his eyes. But we are afraid that his
satisfaction in this case must be only partial. For he never could conceive
that the 'Rising of 1857' was an event complete by itself. He looked upon the
war of 1857 as but a campaign in the war of Independence in its entirety. He
did not, therefore, mean the book to serve as merely the annals of the past
but also as a source of inspiration and guidance to the Future. Consequently
he must be expecting this History to continue to discharge its mission yet
further till the end in view is accomplished. This end is clearly marked out
by Veer Savarkar himself as the following page will show.
 The special tribunal, which tried him in 1910 for waging war
against the Kind (of course of England !) and sentenced him to
transportation for life and forfeiture of his property, quotes in its judgment as
an overwhelming proof of his 'guilt' the following statement issued by
Savarkar in 1908 from London :
"The war begun on the 10th of May 1857 is not over on the
10th of May 1908, nor can it ever cease till a 10th of May to come sees the
destiny accomplished and out Motherland stands free !"

Bombay: 10th January,1947

THE ORIGINAL PUBLISHER'S PREFACE

This book on the history of 1857 was originally written in an

Indian vernacular. But owing to the unique nature of the book which for the
first time ever since the great War was fought, proves from the English
writers themselves that the rising of the Indian people in 1857 was in no way
an insignificant chapter in, or a tale unworthy of, a great people's history,
pressing requests were made from many quarters to translate the work into
the English language, so that, by translations into the other vernaculars, the
whole of the Indian nation might be enabled to read the history of the ever
memorable War of 1857. Realising the reasonableness and importance of
these requests and with the kind permission of the author the publishers
undertook the translation of the original into the English language. With the
patriotic co-operation of many of their countrymen, they are able to-day to
place this work in the hands of Indian readers.
The work of translating an Oriental work into a western tongue
has ever been a task of immense difficulty, even when the translator has all
the facilities which leisure and training could afford. But when the
translation had to be done by divers hands and within a very short time, it
was clearly foreseen by the publishers that the translation would be defective
and unidiomatic. But the main point before the publishers was not to teach
the Indian people how to make an elegant translation nor to show them how
to write correct English - points to which they were supremely indifferent-
but to let them show how their nation fought for its Independence and how
their ancestors died "for the ashes of their fathers and the temples of their
Gods." So, the publishers decided to run the risk of publishing the book as
soon as it could explain the facts it had to tell, though none could be more
conscious of the faults of the language than they themselves. Fifty years
have passed and yet those who died for the honour of their soil and race are
looked upon as madmen and villains by the world abroad ; while their own
kith and kin for whom they shed their blood, are ashamed even to own them
! To allow this state of public opinion, born of stupid ignorance, and
purposely and systematically kept up by a band of interested hirelings, to
continue any longer, would have been a national sin. So, the publishers have
not waited till the language of this translation could be rendered elegant.
Which would be more shameful- to let hideous calumny hover over and
smother down the spirit of martyrdom, or to let some mistake creep into a
book admittedly translated into a foreign tongue? The first, at the best, was a
crime, and the second at the worst a venial literary offence. Therefore, the
publishers owe no apology to, nor would one be asked for by, the Indian
readers for whose special benefit, the work is published.
 But, to those sympathetic foreign readers who might be inclined
to read this book, we owe an apology for the faults of the language and crave
their indulgence for the same.

THE PUBLISHERS
LONDON, MAY 10, 1909

AUTHOR'S INTRODUCTION
Firty years having passed by, the circumstances having
changed, and the prominent actors on both sides being no more, the account
of the War of 1857 has crossed the limits of current politics and can be
relegated to the realms of history. When, therefore, taking the searching
attitude of an historian, I began to scan that instructive and magnificent
spectacle, I found to my great surprise the brilliance of a War of
Independence shining in "the mutiny of 1857". The spirits of the dead
seemed hallowed by martyrdom,. And out of the heap of ashes appeared
forth sparks of a fiery inspiration. I thought that my countrymen will be most
agreeably disappointed, even as I was, at this deep-buried spectacle in one of
the most neglected corners of our history, if I could but show this to them by
the light of research. So, I tried to do the same and am able to-day to present
to my Indian readers this startling but faithful picture of the great events of
1857.
The nation that has no consciousness of its part has no future.
Equally true it is that a nation must develop its capacity not only of claiming
a past but also of knowing how to use it for the furtherance of its future. The
nation ought to be the master and not the slave of its own history. For, it is
absolutely unwise to try to do certain things now irrespective of special
considerations, simply because they had been once acted in the past. The
feeling of hatred against the Mahomedans was just and necessary in the
times of Shivaji- but, such a feeling would be unjust and foolish if nursed
now, simply because it was the dominant feeling of the Hindus then.
 As almost all the authorities on which this work is based are
English authors, for whom it must have been impossible to paint the account
of the other side as elaborately and as faithfully as they have done their own,
it is perfectly possible that many a scene, other than what this book contains,
might have been left unstated, and many a scene described in this book
might be found to have been wrongly described. But if some patriotic
historian would go to northern India and try to collect the traditions from the
very mouths of those who witnessed and perhaps took a leading part in the
War, the opportunity of knowing the exact account of this can still be
caught, though unfortrunately it will be impossible to do so before very long.
When, within a decade or two, the whole generation of those who took part
in that war shall have passed away never to return, not only would it be
impossible to have the pleasure of seeing the actors themselves, but the
history of their actions will have to be left permanently incomplete. Will any
patriotic historian undertake to prevent this while it is not yet too late ?
Even the slightest reference and the most minute details in this
book can be as much substantiated by authoritative works as the important
events and the main currents of the history.
Before laying down this pen, the only desire I want to express is
that such a patriotic and yet faithful, a more detailed and yet coherent,
history of 1857 may come forward in the nearest future from an Indian pen,
so that this my humble writing may soon be forgotten !
THE AUTHOR

LIST OF IMPORTANT BOOKS CONSULTED

ARNOLD,SIR EDWIN, K.C.I.E.- The Marquis of Dalhousie's Administration of British
India.
BALL, CHARLES- The History of the Indian Mutiny. COOPLAND, MRS.- A
lady'sExcapefrom Gwalior.
DUFF, DR.ALEXANDER- The Indian Rebellion: Its Causes and Results in a series of
Letters.
EYRE, SIR VINCENT- Letters and Despatches.
FORBES-MITCHELL, WILLIAM- Reminiscences of the Great Mutiny, 1857-59.
FORGETT- Real Danger in India.
FORREST,GEORGE WILLIAM- State Papers (Several Series).
GRANT,SIR JAMES HOPE- Incidents in the Sepoy War, 1857-58. (Compiled from the
privvate journals of Sir Hope Grant ....................... together with explanatory chapters
by
H.Knollys).
GUBBINS,MARTIN RICHARD- An Account of the Mutinies in Oudh and the Siege of
the
Lucknow Residency. HOLLOWAY- Essays on the Indian Mutiny. HOLMES- History of
the Indian Mutiny.
JACOB,SIR GEORGE LE GRANT- Western India before and during the Mutinies:
pictures drawn from life.
KAYE, SIR JOHN WILLIAM- A History of the Sepoy War in India, 3 vols. KAYE AND
MALLESON- History of the Indian Mutiny, 6 vols. KHAN, MU'IN AL-DIN HASAN-
Two Native Narratives.
LECKEY, EDWARD- Fictions Connected with the Indian Outbreak of 1857 Exposed.
LOWE, THOMAS, M.R.C.S.- Central India during the Rebellion of1857. MALLESON,
G.B.-Red Pamphlet.
MARTIN,WILLIAM- Why is the English Rule Odious to the Natives of India?
MEAD,HENRY- The Sepoy Revolt: Its Causes and Consequences.
MEDLEY, JULIUS GEORGE- A Year's Campaigning in India from Marcfh 1857 to
March 1858.
METCALFE- Native Narratives. ROBERTS,LORD- Forty-one Years in India.
RUSSEL, SIR WM.HOWARD- My Diary in India in the year 1958-59, 2 vols.
SHEPHERD- Personal Narrative of Cawnpore.
SYLVESTER- Recollections.
TAYLER,WILLIAM- The Patna Crisis.
TAYLOR,MEADOWS- The Story of My Life.
THOMSON, MOWBRAY- The Story of Cawnpore.
TRAVELYAN, SIR GEORGE OTTO- Cawnpore.
WHITE- Complete History of the Great Sepoy War.
WILSON- The Defence of Lucknow. State Papers and several other books.
ANON- History of the Siege of Delhi, by an Officer who served there. ANON- Military
Narrative.
ANON- Narrative of the Indian Revolt,etc. Reprinted from the "Illustrated Times."
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