From my first few weeks in the Dutch Army through my time in the French and finally the US Army a bayonet was always issued with a musket, rifle or rifle musket. The bayonet is an integral part of the weapon as well as an effective weapon on its own. When placed on the muzzle a bayonet turns a long arm into a spear for use against cavalry or for sending home the assault. The bayonet rarely left my side during my military service across three continents. It would become a familiar, almost comfortable, presence upon my hip.
At Sevastopol a Russian bayonet took me in the throat and but for the action of my copain Remi I would have been but one more upon the butchers bill that day. The scar is hidden high up on my throat concealed by my beard; though the beard grows differently there. It is a constant reminder of just how close the angel of death has been to me in the past. It is also a stark reminder of how effective the bayonet can be.
The British redcoats pride themselves in their bayonet; with good reason as few are willing to stand a British bayonet charge. The French bayonet drill is effective and satisfyingly effective; though the dance as taught to us within the Legion is outright brutal. The US soldiers I trained and served with thought little of the bayonet and in a close quarters fight would as likely resort to fists and clubbed muskets as use their bayonet. This was one of my frustrations when dealing with American soldiers. In general the US soldier cared little for the bayonet and did not see it as an effective weapon. In his defense across the duration of the War of Rebellion my regiment saw hand to hand combat just once.
Pictured above are three American made bayonets of the war. The sabre bayonet on the left was issued with the Colt alteration M1841 I carried. The sabre bayonet beside it was the bayonet issued with the Harpers Ferry long range rear sight modified M1841 and the M1855 Rifle. The triangular bayonet lain across them is the standard bayonet as issued with the M1861 series arms. The quality of the steel is excellent as is the manufacture of all three. I would consider them the equal of, if not superior, any I saw upon the continent.
The sabre bayonet was never very popular with the men of my regiment though we retained them for more than half of our time in service. I kept mine through the duration of the war. The men generally complained that they were heavy, cumbersome on the march and completely ruined the accuracy of the arm when fixed. The triangular bayonet was lighter, less cumbersome on the march and did not spoil the accuracy of the arm when fixed. All are valid complaints and I would not disagree with those complaints. From my own experience I did not fix my bayonet until it was needed unless I was on guard duty in which case the bayonet remained fixed for the duration.
I’ve been told I am an odd duck in that when given the choice between a pistol and a bayonet I will choose the bayonet. I have seen far too many men miss with a pistol when their target was only an arms length away. I have never missed with a bayonet.
Men wanted to discard their bayonet but the threat of having to pay for lost equipment kept them from doing so. Most men who purchased their arms at the end of the war discarded the bayonet regardless of the model. I kept mine and found the other two in my wagon that some of the men must have decided I needed.
