At the head of the revolt was Bahadur Shah Zafar, the Mughal emperor who bemoaned his fate in Urdu ghazals. Brave men and women, notably Lakshmi Bai, or the Rani of Jhansi, aided him. But the British generals and soldiers sealed their fate. The Queen's Proclamation of 1858. ie, the end of Company rule and the transfer of its powers to the Crown, marked the triumph of British colonialism and India's subjugation. In 2008. I introduced Mutiny Memoirs by Colonel A.R.D. Mackenzie; the reprint carries a detailed introduction. Now, I am happy to introduce another interesting story of the great upheaval. It is told by Captain Atkinson with the aid of sketches. Sadly, however, there is not much information about him in the National Archives. Perhaps, a more extensive search may yield some results.
This book illustrates the progress, rather than the process, leading to the siege of Delhi and its recapture. The principal events of the 1857 revolt are represented but only as pointers to the imminent victory of the British army. This is, therefore, a one-sided and inconclusive story. And yet, it must be accessed to understand how the imperial mind moulded attitudes of discourses. Our mission at the National Archives of India is to reprint some of the old books in our library collection. I am happy that Niyogi Books has agreed to undertake the publication of this book and make it accessible to the readers. I invite other publishers to do the same.
**Contents and Sample Pages**
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