The National tribune., 1885-10-15
THE DEADLY BAY0NET
1t is Used for Nearly Everything Else
Than for PrOdding Men.

In common with every other young man who
enlisted to defend the glorious Stars and Stripes
Si Klegg. of the 200th Ind, had a profound
superstition concerning the bayonet All the
war literature he had ever read abounded in
lood-curdling descriptions of bayonet charges
and hand-to-hand conflicts, in which bayonets
were repeatedly thrust up to the shanks in the
c0mbatants' bodies, just as he had put pitch
fork into a bundle of hay. He had seen pic
lures of English regiments bristling with bay
onets like porcupine with qulls, rushing to-
ward French regiments which looked as prickly
as a chestnut-bur, and in his ignorance he sup
posed that was the way fighting was done. Oc-
casionally hewouid have qualms at the thought
of how little his system was suited to have cold
steel thrust through it promiscuous-like, but he
comforted himself with the supposition that he
would probably get used to it in time" SOL
diers get used to almost anything, you know"
When the 200th Ind. drew its guns at Indian
apolis he examined all the strange accouter-
ments with interest, but gave most to the tran-
gular bit of steel, which writers who have never
seen a battle make so important a weapon in
deciding contests.
What are these grooves along each side
for? ?" he asked, pointing out the little hoilows
which give the "prod " lightness and strength.
"Why," answered the one interrogated, who,
having been in the three months service, as
sumed to know more about war than the Duke
OI
make wound the l!rrs Ct which will close up
when the bayonet is pulled out, so that the
manll be certain to die."
Naturally 80 daboleal an intention sent cold
shivers down Sis back.
The night before 81 left for "the front" he
took his musket and aceouterments home to
show them to his mother and sisterS-and the
other fellows sister, whose picture and lock of
hair he had safely slowed away. They looked
upon the bayonet with a dreadful awe. Tears
came into Maria's eyes as she thought of ST
roaming about through the South like bandit,
plunging that cruel steel into peoples bowels.
"This is the way it's done," said 81, as he
charged about the room in an imaginary duel
with a rebel, winding up with a terrifying
lunge. "De Tur-r-r-raitOr, gaul durn yet"
he exclaimed, for he was really getting excited
over the matter, while the girls screamed and
jumped upon the chairs, and his good mother
almost tainted.
The attention that the 200th Ind. had to give
to the bayonet drill confirmed Sis deep respect
for the weapon, and he practiced assiduously
all the" lunges,"" parties" and guards " in the
Manual, in the hope that proficiency gained
would save his own dearly-loved hide from
puncture, and enable him to punch any luck
less rebel that he might encounter as full of
holes as fishing net.
The 200th Inds first fight was at Perryville,
but though it routed the rebel force in front of
it, il would have taken a bayonet half-a-mile
long to touch the nearest Johnny" Si thought
it odd that the rebels didn't let him get close
enough to them to try his new bayonet, and
pitch dozen or two of them over into the next
field.
If the truth must be told, the first blood that
stained Sis bayonet was not that of fellow
man. This cut shows how it came about: