MANUAL

OF

BAYONET EXERCISE:

PREPARED FOR THE USE OF THE

ARMY OF THE UNITED STATES.

BY

GEORGE B. MCCLELLAN,

COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF U.S. ARMY.

______________

Printed by Order of the War Department.

______________

PHILADELPHIA:

J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO.

MDCCCLXII.

Entered, according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1852, by

GEORGE B. McCLELLAN,

In the Office of the Clerk of the District Court of the United States in and

for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

HEAD-QUARTERS OF THE ARMY,

Washington, D.C., Dec. 31, 1861.

HON. C. M. CONRAD,

Secretary of War.

Sir: Herewith I have the honor to submit a System of Bayonet Exercise, translated from the French, by Capt. Geo. B. McClellan, Corps Engineers, U.S. Army.

I strongly recommend its being printed for distribu­tion to the Army; and that it be made, by regulation, a part of the “System of Instruction.”

The inclosed extracts from reports of the Inspector General, etc., show the value.

I have the honor to be, sir,

With high respect,

Your most obed’t serv’t,

(Signed)                                  WINFIELD SCOTT.

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APPROVED.

(Signed)                                  C. M. CONRAD,

Secretary of War.

January 2, 1862.

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Copy.

R. JONES,

Adjutant General.

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

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Preface

Introduction

PART I.

SCHOOL OF THE SOLDIER IN THE BAYONET EXERCISE.

General Observations

Table of the thirty radical movements of the Bayonet Exercise

Table of the Bayonet Exercise divided into Twelve Lessons 

FIRST LESSON—WITHOUT MUSKETS. 

The Guard

The Advance

The Retreat

The Right Volt

The Left Volt

The Right Rear Volt

The Left Rear Volt

SECOND LESSON—WITHOUT MUSKETS.

The Development

The Passade

The Leap to the Rear

THIRD LESSON—WITH MUSKETS.

The Middle Guard

The Thrust

The Lunge

The Lunge-out

The Thrust with the Development

The Thrust with the Passade

FOURTH LESSON.

The Four Directions of Attack

In Prime

In Seconde

In Tierce

In Quarte

FIFTH LESSON.

The Parry in Prime

The Parry in Seconde

The Parry in Tierce

The Parry in Quarte

Parries Followed by Thrusts

SIXTH LESSON.

The Parry in High Tierce

The Parry in High Quarte

The Parries in High Tierce and Quarte Followed by Thrusts

The Parry in Seconde in Retreat

The Parry in Tierce in Retreat

The Parries in Tierce and Quarte in Retreat Followed by Thrusts

SEVENTH LESSON.

The Thrust Shortened on the Left

The Thrust Shortened on the Right

The Shortened Thrusts in Riposte

EIGHTH LESSON.

The Blow to the Front with the Butt of the Piece

The Blow to the Right with the Butt of the Piece

The Blow to the Rear with the Butt of the Piece

The Blows with the Butt, followed by the Development

NINTH LESSON.

REPETITION AND COMBINATION OF THE MOVEMENTS.—The Advance; the Retreat; the Leap to the Rear, combined with the Movements of Attack and Defence

TENTH LESSON.

REPETITION AND COMBINATION OF THE MOVEMENTS.—The Volts and Leap to the Rear, combined with the Movements of Attack and Defence

ELEVENTH LESSON.

The Directions of Attack combined with each other

TWELFTH LESSON.

The Different Combinations of the Parries

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PART II.

INSTRUCTIONS WITH THE PLASTRON.

General Principles of Fencing with the Bayonet and Instructions for the Lessons with the Plastron, for the Guidance of Instructors

The Guard

The Measure

The Means of Locomotion

The Use of the Arms in the Attack

The Manner of Combining the Use of the Arms and Legs

The Recovery of the Guard

The Lines

The Engagement

The Attack

The Blow and the Point

The Simple Blows

The Parries

The Parry of Tierce Sixte

Feints

Appels

The Attack Upon the Weapon

The Riposte

Repeats

Time-Thrusts

Stop-Thrusts

The Shortened Thrusts

The Blows with the Butt

Lessons with the Plastron

The Salute with the Bayonet

Download a .pdf version of this document, click here.

Transcribed by Scott Gutzke, 2006.

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