An officer reporting from rural Awadh in 1857 described how the villagers dealt with the European troops. Which of the following did he note about them?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → They melted away before the Europeans and collected again
Option (1) They met the Europeans in pitched battles on open ground — Incorrect. The officer's worry was the opposite. The villagers avoided open fights and could not be pinned down.
Option (2) They melted away before the Europeans and collected again — Correct. The officer found the villagers nearly intangible to Europeans. They melted away before the troops and gathered again, which made them hard to defeat.
Option (3) They gave up their guns once the Civil Authorities arrived — Incorrect. The Civil Authorities reported the villagers as a very large number of men with a number of guns, still armed and active.
Option (4) They retreated into hill forts and held out under siege — Incorrect. There is no siege in this report. The villagers moved about the countryside and pressed on the British line of communication.
NCERT (2026-27): “4. Repression … |