The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1900-09-04
STORY OF THE BAYONET,
ORIGINALLY 1T HAD NOTHING TO
DO WITH GUNS.
Where IL Got Its Several Sanes-Thriu-
Ing Stories of Its use-First Carried
by British Soldiers Under Charles II
ONO RnNoneI AcnInst m ARMY.

One BRyonet Against Army.
1T is rather curious that the weapon
first called bayonct had nothing 10
do with muslct or rifle. bun was sim
ply short. fat dagger Three hun
dred years ago it was described aS a.
great knife 10 hang at the Sirdlc like Il
dagger. Lingurd. the historian. writ
ing Of Il battle fought i'm France ian
1853, says that the English commander
was slain. aS hc lay on the field with
- bayUnct meaning. no doubt. The
Kind of weapon We have just de
scrihCd. British soldiers did NOT carry
4 hayOnct of the modern Kind as part
of their equipment Till the tim" of
Charles II. That not very warlKe
monarch ordered 10y royal warrant
that the soldiers were to have ana to
carry one hayOnet or great kUifc" la
those days the great knife was
kind of last resource. The bayonct in
its first form could only hc used 10y
having its handle screwed Sulidiy into
the musket barrel. thereby completely
blocking the muZHle: 50 IT WAS no. M
til the ammunition was exhausted. or
until the enemy We're 80 close that
there was not sufficient time fer the
somewhat lengthy and complicated
process of recharging The clumsy old
muzzle-loadiu" mUskets-it was not till
then that the boyonct was brought
into play.
Our friends the enemy. however. he
fore long taught us how TO turn tho
weapon to better account. While the
battle of Families was III progress.
IN May, 1Io6. some keen-eyed observer
on the British side noticed that the
French infantry were able to charge
with the bayonet Immediately they
had fired their vollcv. not waiting tn
screw their knives" into the muz2les
of their muskctS. When the battle
was over and Marlboro's victorious
troops held the field. some OF The fire
locks abandoned 10y the foe i'm their
fight were picked up and examined.
and it was found that the baNcnet was
secured 10y circular band of metal
ciaSping the barrel. simple arrange
ment, which left the muzzlc perfectly
clear. The wonder is that such a
clumsy process IS stufiing the solid
handle Of the 'hayouet into the mouth
of tho musket was ever adopted nj all.
Our military authorities. however. were
not above taking hint from the on
envy. aud the English bayoucts were
soon fitted after the French manner.
There has been some discussion as
to the origin of the word "bayonet."
The commonly received explanation is
mat the weapon takes its name from
CITY Of
France. where the bayOnct is supposed
to have been first made on first used
This is likely enough. although there
is no direct evidence on the point. hur
II is also possible that the word is de
rived, as Il diminutivc. from an old
French word. "bayon." which meant
the arrow or shaft OF a croSsbow. The
transfer of the name, with the added
diminutivc termination Of 'ettc." from
the long-pointcd arrow TO the short.
stabbing dagger. would be natural and
easy. hut the matter is of no great i'm
portancc, and IL is certainly not worth
dogmatiZing about.
1t may he noted. by the way. that
Tie vulgar pronunciation of "bayourt."
or "bagnet Now. genTmcn. fall
on rs the English said To the French
when they fixed bagoncts." remarked
Mr., Weller at the picnic-is of very
long standing, ana was originally of
Inc highcsf responsibility. \ dictiou-
AIRY maker Of ITj1. Benjamin Martin.
AFTER defining the word ~ meaning "a
short dagger. having. instead Of Il hiIt.
a hollow iron handle TO fix fl to tho
muzzlc of Il musquet. now used instead
OF pike, goes on to say: I'VE speak
the word bagouet" Another lexico-
grapher Of u few sc. = later. remarks
somewhat naively, that the bayonct.
when ammunition is spent. is no bad
resource. very early example of
the now vulgar pronunciation may hp
found i'm the London Gazette of 1850
where. i'm No 2Il2. "bagoupts and all
other arms are mentioned i'm am Off
cial notice Ann % little later I'm
book published about 1900. The author.
ship Of which has been attributed tu
bcioc. some peaceful person plaiutivc
~ pleads, 81 came not into thc world
To- ho caunouadcd on h1gnoottcd ont of
IT, The weapon, however. has pushed
- great many peaceful folk. as well IS
it's more legitimate prey. out of the
world
No army of course. can claim mo
uopoly uf the use Of the bavouct. hu,
30 has been peculiarly associated with
OBJ" heroic deeds OF British infantry ou
many hardfougbt field. and I'm many
struggle in The imminent dcadiy
breach. At Waterloo ID was tho bri.i
Hing lines of bayouots girdling the i'm
vlnciblc squares Of infantry that the
French found it vain to attack Ap9iu
and again the French cavalry surped
against those seemingly solid island.
of mon and steel. but could nnlc mo-
impression OH them. More RECENTLY
200 Ahu klcg and ON other Eryufi9n
baiUciiclds. the gallant dervishpe who
survived tho Grc OF rifles and Niaxim-
found the line OF bHvouots "a last and
improeuablr line OF defense. A.
weapon of ofcuso. too. ass well as of
defense. the buyouct has proved of
wonderful effect in British hands
Other enemies ham Beers have found
DO difficult. 10 face tic cold stcoI- .t
close quarters. Sir Henry UavoIocs
describing % small action durlue tbc
mutiny struggle iu India. when tbrco
Of the cncmy's gums were strongly
posted behind lofty hamlet. well in
trenched Gays that ne ordered the Soy.
cntycighth Highlaudcrs to advance
Never" hp vrrOfo sIo.r,. ,,.it,... -