This book aims at throwing a light on a very crucial time in our Empire's history. It aims at lighting up that part of England's memory which is concerned with a certain siege which happened more than fifty years ago, lest she forget splendid deeds done by heroic Englishmen in the Indian Mutiny; men who, at out-of-the-way stations, fought against gigantic odds, with only a few troops to support them- fought, and saved their country's colours. These were the men who held up the lamp of the Ideal high above the heads of their fellow-men. Would there were more of them here today in England] Men, who simply could not be discouraged by any amount of failure, by any amount of discouragement. They were aware of the inner meaning of those inspiring words: ' how far High Failure overleaps the bounds of low successes.' And though for many of them, the last words that sounded in their dying ears were those of ' defeat' and ' disaster,' though the bitter taste of the fruit of War was on their lips, and ghastly sights met their eyes, theirs was the unconquerable spirit which can die, and yet remain at the supreme moment of death- victor, in spite of all.