The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-06-17
THE BAYoNET's HISTORY.


called bayonet had nothing TO do with
musket rife. but was simply a short
nat dagger. Three hundred years ago 1t
was described small pocket dagger.
and again as great knife to hang at the
ian. writing of battle fought in France
was slain. he lay on the field, with a
Dayonet''-meaning. no doubt the kind of
weapon we have just described. British
soldiers did not carry a bayonet of the
modern kind as part of their equipment
till the time of Charles II. That not very
warlike monarch ordered by royal warrant
that the soldiers were ito have and to
carry one bayonet or great knife" In
those days great knife" was a kind Of
last resource. The bayonet in its first form
could only be used by having it's handle
screwed solidly into the musket barrel,
thereby completely blocking the muzzle;
so IL was not until the ammunition was ex-
hausted, or until the enemy were so close
that there was not sufficient time for the
somewhat lengthy and complicated process
OF recharging the clumsy old muzzle-load-
Ing muskets-it was not till then that the
bayonet was brought into play.
Our friends the enemy, however, before
long taught us how to turn the weapon TO
better account. While the battle of Ram
lilies was in progress, in May, 17O6. some
keen-eyed observer on the British side no.
ticed that the French infantry were able
10 charge with the bayOnet Immediately
they had fired their volley, not waiting to
screw their knives into the muzzles of
their muskets. When the battle was over
and Marlborough's victorious troops held
he fiofI of fHa fira10 han n nod
by the foe in their flight were picked up
and examined, and 1t was found that the
bayonet was secured by a circular band of
metal clasping the barrel, simple ar
rangement which left the muzzle perfect
ly clear. The wonder is that such a clum-
sy process as stuffing the solid handle of
the bayonet into the mouth of the musket
was ever adopted at all. Our military
authorities, however, were not above TAX
ing hint from the enemy, and the Eng
lish bayonets were soon fitted after the
French manner.
There has been some discussion as to the
origin of the word 'bayonet" The com
monty received explanation is that the
weapon takes its name from the city OF
Bayonne, in southern France, where the
bayonet is supposed to have been first
| made or first used. This is like enough
although there is no direct evidence on the
point. but it is also possible that the wore
| is derived, a diminutive. from an ole
French word, bayou" which meant the
arrow or shaft of crossbow. The transfer
| of the name. with the added diminutivt
| termination of f.ette," from the long point.
| ed arrow to the short, stabbing dagger
| would be natural and easy, but the matter
| is of no great Importance, and it is certain.
| ly not worth dogmatizing about
1t may be noted, by the way, that the
vulgar pronunciation of "bagonet," oil
'bagnet"-"Now, gen'Pmen, fall on, as the
| English said TO the French when they
| fixed bagginets, remarked Mr.. Weller a.
| the picnic-is Of very long standing, anC
| was originally of the highest responsibility
| A dictionary-maker of 1751, Benjamin Mar
\ tin, after defining the word as meaning
"a short dagger, having, instead of hilt
| an hollow iron handle to fix 1t to the
muzzle Of a musquet, now used instead o.
| a pike goes on to say: I'VE speak th'
word bagonet." Another photographer o.
a few years later remarks. somewhat
naively, that the bayonet, when ammuni
ton is spent, is no bad resource" A very
| early example of the now vulgar pronun
| citation may be found in the London Ga
zette Of 1892, where, in No. 2742, "baggonet:
and all other arms are mentioned in al
| official notice. And a little later, in a bool
published about 100, the authorship has
| been attributed to Defoe, some peaceful
/ into the world TO be cannonaded or BACON
| neted out of it" The weapon, however
has pushed a great many peaceful folk, a:
well as its more legitimate prey, out o.
| the world.
No army of course can claim a monopo
| ly of the use of the bayonet, but ii ha.
/ been peculiarly associated with the heroi'
| doings OF British infantry on many hard
/ fought field, and in many a struggle II
| the imminent deadly breach AT Waterloo
| it was the bristling lines of bayonets grid
| ling the invincible squares of infantry tina
| the French found it vain to attack. Agar
! and again the French cavalry surgeC
| against those seemingly solid islands o
| men and steel, but could make no impress
| sion on them. More recently, at Abu Kles
| and on other Egyptian battlefields, the gal
| w no
| rifles and Maxims found the line of bayo
| nets last and impregnable line of de
| Tense. As a weapon OF onense, too, as wei
| as of defense, the bayonet has proved o
wonderful effect in British hands Othe
| enemies than Beers have found 1t Difficult
| TO face the "cold steel at close quarters
| Sir Henry Havelock, describing small ac
| ton during the mutiny struggle in India
| when three of the enemys guns wer'
| strongly posted behing lofty hamlet. wei
| intrenched, says that he ordered the Sew
| erty-eighth Highlanders to advance
| Never" he wrote, have witnessed con
duct more admirable. They were led b.
| Colonel Hamilton, and followed him will
| SURPRISING steadiness and gaaan d 80, un .1;1
| lage they cheer d and charged with IN
| bayonet the pipes sounding the pibroch
| Need add that the enemy fed, the v1llag
was taken, and the guns captured! In
combina ton of bayonets and bagpipeS wa
/ irresistible
The glittering steel did similar work OF
many of the Peninsular battleneldS. A
the sanguinary struggle of Busaco the hold
| of the British on the height which was th'
/ main object of the French attack was Sc
1 cured by the charge ordered by Crawford
| when. in Napiers graphic phrase, Eight
| cen hundred British bayonets went spark
1 ling over the brow of the bill. few
| DAYS before this battle was fought singu
| lar incident had occurred. when a single
| Irish soldier attacked the French army
| with his bayonet. Ii was toward the enc
| of the fighting on the Goa. and practfcall,
| the whole of the British army had re
| treated across the river. Among the las
| TO come down TO the bridge was a gigantic
/ fisherman named Stewart, called th'
| "Boy" because he was only nineteen year.
| of age, though of great stature ant
| strength. Throughout the action he ha6
/ fought bravely but when he reached the
| bridge he refused to pass. Turning
| round says the historian, he REGARDED
| the French with a grim look, and SPOKE
| aloud as follows: SO, this is the end o.
| our boasting. This is our first battle ant
| we retreat. The boy Stewart will not liv,
| TO hear that said Then. striding forward
| in his giant might he fell furiously on tn,
| nearest enemies with the bayonet, refused
| the quarter they seemed DESTROYS of grant
| ing. and died fighting in the midst o.
| them.
| Natural bridge for Sale.