The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-06-09

ticed that the French infantry were ablo
to charge with the bayoHet imme d.alely
they had fred their yOlley. no waiting
to screw their knives into the muzz.es
of their muskets. When the battle was
over the Marlboroughs victorious troops
held The field, some of the frelocks aban-
doned by he foe in their fight were pick
ed up and examined, and il was found
that the hayouet was secured by circu-
Jar band of metal clasping the barrel, a
simple arrangement which left the muzzle
perfectly clear. The wonder Is that such
a clumsy process as iffCning the sold
handle of The hayonet into the mouth of
the musket was ever adopted at all. Our
military authorities, however, were not
above taking a hint from the enemy, ana
the English bayonets Were soon fitted af-
ter the French manner.
There has been some discussion as 10 the
origin of the word "haNonet." The COM
monty received explanation is that the
weapon takes its name from the city of
Beyonne, in Southern France, where the
bayonef is supposed to have been first
used. This is likely enough, although
there is no direct evidence on the point,
ard it is also possible that the word Is
derived, as a diminutive, from IN old
French word "bayon" which meant the
arrow or shaft of crowhar. The transfer
Of the name, with The added dininutive
termination Of "ette' from the long Toint-
ed arrow to the shorl stabbing dagger,
would be natural and easy, but the matter
is of 10 great Importance. and il is Ger
tainly not worth dogmatizing abort.
1t may be noted by the wav,f thai the
vulgar pronunciation of "bagonet" or
''bagnet genrmen, fail on as
he English sold to the French when they
fixed baggiuets," remarked Mr. Weller
at the picnlc-is of very long standing ami
was originally of The highest respectable
iiy. dictionary maker Of l751 Benjamin
Martin, after defining The word as mean
ing "a short dagger, having. instend OF
hit, an hollow iron handle 10 fix il to the
Clnzz,e of a musqGet now used instead OF
a pike" goes on to say: I'VE speak me
word BagoEet." Another lexicographcr Of
a few years later remarks somewhat
naively, that the bayonef. when ammun}-
ticn is spent is no bad resource - A very
carly example Of the now vulgar pronun-
citation may be found in the London Ca
zette of 1882, where, in No. 2742 "hag geo
nettes and ell other arms are mentioned
in an official notice. And a little later in
q book published about 1900. the author
ship Of which has been attributed TO De-
foe. some peaceful person piaintively
pleads: 81 came not into the world to be
cannonaded or b1gonetted our Of H." The
weapon, however. has pushed q great
many peaceful folk, as well as us more le-
climate prey out Of the world
No army. Of course, can claim mon
opoly of the use OF the bayonet but 1t
has been peculiarly associated with The
heroic dOings Of British infantry on MANY
a hard-fought field, and In many strug-
gle in the immineni deadly breach At
Waterloo II was he bristiing lines Of bav-
onets girdling the invincible squares of
infantry that the French found 1t vain
to attack Again and again the French
cavalry surgei against those seemingly
solid q O. a
make no impression on them Moro re-
Gently, at Ahu Klea and on other Egyp-
tian baiuefields, The gallant dervishes who
survived the fire OF rifles and Maxirns
found the line of bayonets last ana i'm
nregnable line OF defense. As a weapon
bayonet has proved OF wonderful effect
in Brtisch hands Other enemies chan
Beers have found Il dlfncult 70 face the
"cold steel" at close quarters Sir Henry
Havelock, describing small action dur
ing the mutny struggle in India. when
three Of the enemy's guns were strongly
posted behind a lofty hamlet well in
trcuchFd. says thai he ordered The Sew
enty-eighth Highlanders. to advance
Never" ne wrote, "have ! witnessed
conduct more admirable They were led
by col Hamilton. and followed him with
surp1sslnG steadiness and gallantry under
heavy fire. AZ they approached the vii
lage they cheered and charged wi the
bayouet the pipes sounding The pibroch
Need / add that the enemy fled. the W.
lagc was taken. ANA the guns capt re ~"
The combination Of bayoncts ana bag
pipes was irresistible.
The gliuering steel did similar work on
many Of the Penlnsular battlenelds. At
the sanguinary struggle Of Busaco the
hold Of the Brhsh ON he height which
was tAe main object Of the French al
tack was secured by The charge ordered
! by Crawford when In Napicr's graphic
| phrase, eighteen hundred British bay
! onets went sparkling over the brow of
| the hill" a few days before this battle
was foughe, singular incidCn had &C.
CURED when q single Irish soldier a.
tackled the French Army with his boy
onetl Ii was towerd he end ~ n,
fighting on the Goa, and practically tn