McClellan's Bayonet Exercise for the Army, Part 1

THE Bayonet Exercise presented in the following pages is chiefly from the French of M. Gomard, an eminent French teacher of the art of fencing.

After an examination of the systems of Selmnitz, Pinette, Müller, etc., the superiority of Gomard’s was very evident. It is, in its arrangement, very analogous to the Infantry Tactics, and of such a nature that it can readily be taught by the non-commissioned officers.

In addition, it is far the simplest system of all. In the others are to be found many different “guards,” very inefficient thrusts, and an almost infinite number of parries, against the lancer, dragoon, hussar, cuirassier, infantry soldier, etc., ad infinitum.

Gomard lays it down as a principle, that the most formidable antagonist an infantry soldier can encounter is an infantry soldier; that the bayonet is more formidable than either the lance or the sabre. This assertion may seem surprising, but trial will convince any one of its truth, and of the consequent fact that an infantry soldier who can parry the attacks of a well-drilled infantry soldier has nothing to fear from a cavalry soldier, because simple variations of the parries against infantry are perfectly effective against the sabre and lance, e.g. the parries in high tierce and high quarte.

The work of Gomard was translated by the author of the present work about two years ago, and taught by him to the noncommissioned officers of the company of sappers with which he was then on duty. The non-commissioned officers soon became competent to instruct the men, and the system was in successful operation when the author was relieved from duty with the company.

It proved to be an excellent gymnastic exercise, a useful amusement, and gave the men great additional confidence in themselves and their weapons. The French system has been somewhat modified, in order to make it conform more closely to our infantry tactics.

It will be proper to remark that any system of fencing with the bayonet can, in service, have its fall and direct application only when the men are isolated, or in very open order; as, for instance, when employed as skirmishers, in assaulting breaches, fieldworks, or batteries, or when broken by cavalry, etc. etc. When in the habitual formation, as infantry of the line, the small interval allowed each file, and the method of action of masses, will prevent the possibility, or necessity, of the employment of much individual address; but even then, in the shock of a charge, or when awaiting the attack of cavalry, the men will surely be more steady and composed, from the consciousness of the fact that they can make good use of their bayonets, and easily protect their persons against everything but balls.

There is an instance on record of a French grenadier, who, in the battle of Polotsk, defended himself, with his bayonet, against the simultaneous attack of eleven Russian grenadiers, eight of whom he killed. In the battle of Sanguessa, two soldiers of Abbé’s division defended themselves, with their bayonets, against twenty-five Spanish cavalry, and, after having inflicted several severe wounds, rejoined their regiment without a scratch. At that period there was little or no regular instruction in the use of the bayonet.

THERE are three methods of instructing the soldier in fencing with the bayonet, viz., the lessons with the plastron; the mutual lessons; the figurative lessons.

The lessons with the plastron are those in which the instructor is the adversary of his pupil: this is the best method of instruction, but is not applicable in the army, because it is impossible to provide an instructor for every soldier.

The mutual lessons are those in which the men are told off by pairs, and oppose each other. On account of the expense of the necessary masks, plastrons, etc., this can hardly be relied upon as the sole method of instruction.

The figurative lesson is that in which the scholar has no antagonist, and in which the direction of the thrust and parries must be taken with reference to his own person. On account of the simplicity of the bayonet exercise, and the impossibility of introducing in it that extreme sensibility of touch, and quickness of hand and eye, so necessary with the foil, it will be found that the figurative lesson will fully enable the soldier to provide for his personal defence. If, in addition, he have the advantage of a few lessons with the plastron, and can occasionally fence with well-instructed men, under the direction of an instructor, all reasonable and desirable proficiency can soon be acquired.

In the remarks upon the lessons with the plastron (Part II.), will be found a short summary of such general principles as ought to be well understood by the instructor, not only before be gives lessons with the plastron, but before he attempts to teach the figurative lessons.

The instruction in the bayonet exercise should commence as soon as the recruit is proficient in the squad drill. In three months a man may be taught to handle his piece quite well—well enough for ordinary exigencies of service; in a year he will be quite a skilful fencer.

In the instruction in the figurative lessons the men should be in undress, without belts; their clothes should fit loosely. When they are well drilled they may be practised occasionally, with their belts and knapsacks on.

For the lessons with the plastron, and the mutual lessons, the following equipments, etc. will be necessary, viz.:—

A brown linen jacket, fitting loosely, the breast and left side of double buckskin, or pliable leather, buttoning on the right side, the arms reinforced with buckskin from the elbows up: this jacket is not indispensable.

A plastron of stuffed buckskin, covering the left side and breast from the throat to the groin.

An old musket, with the bayonet arranged as follows, viz.: cut off the blade two inches from the elbow; drill a hole through the heel of the blade in the direction of its axis; fit a thumb-screw to it—see Plate 24. Replace the blade by a piece of whalebone of the same length, which shall fit in the hole drilled in the heel of the blade, and be secured by the thumb-screw. This whalebone must be sufficiently flexible to prevent the blows from hurting, and yet have enough elasticity to straighten itself after each blow. Notches should be cut near the end, for the purpose of binding on a light button of leather or India rubber. If no old muskets can be had, cover those used with strong leather.

To accustom the men to give an accurate aim to their thrusts, balls of wood, lead, or canvas stuffed with straw, may be suspended by cords as targets. Of course, this target practice must be combined with the volts, parries, etc.

There are two kinds of commands—the cautionary commands, and those of execution. The cautionary commands are printed in italics; the commands of execution are in small CAPITALS. They have been made to conform as closely as possible to the commands in the Infantry Tactics. The remarks made therein (Scott’s Inf. Tact., vol. i., paragraph 81, et seq.,) on the subject of commands, are equally applicable to those of the Bayonet Exercise.

The instructor will conform as strictly as possible to the text, in all definitions and instructions. He will occasionally, when instructing recruits, execute the movements himself, in order to exemplify his instructions. When learning difficult movements, or indeed any for the first time, each man will execute such separately, while the others are at rest.

The instructor will sometimes cause one man to step to the front, and engage his piece with his own, in order to facilitate the explanations.

Too rigorous exactness need not be required at first, but the men will be brought to the proper point by degrees. Each lesson must be properly comprehended and well executed by the men before the next is taken up. For instruction in the Bayonet Exercise, the men should be divided into squads of three or four each; a greater number should not be placed in one squad, when it is possible to avoid it.

At the command “ATTENTION!” given when the men are at guard, or at rest, they will, when without muskets, assume the position of the soldier; when with muskets, they will assume the position of shoulder arms. Frequent short rests must be allowed the men: this is particularly necessary at first. All the movements should be made with great rapidity.

This system is applicable not only to the ordinary musket and bayonet, but also to the rifle or musketoon with the sword bayonet.

Point of departure for all the movements of the body and weapon.		1. The middle guard.
Means of locomotion.		The measuring steps. 2. The advance; 3. The retreat. The volts. 4. The right volt; 5. The left volt; 6. The right rear-volt; 7. The left rear-volt; 8. The leap to the rear.
Means of attack.		9. The thrust; 10. The lunge; 11. The lunge-out; 12. The development; 13. The pasasade.
Means of directing the attack.		The four directions of attack. 14. Prime; 15. Seconde; 16. Tierce; 17. Quarte.
Means of defence.		The Parries. 18. Prime; 19. Seconde; 20. Tierce; 21. Quarte; 22. High tierce; 23. High quarte; 24. Seconde in retreat. 25. Tierce in retreat.
Means of using the point when breast to breast.		The shortened thrust. 26. On the left; 27. On the right.
Means of using the butt of the musket.		The blows with the butt. 28. To the front; 29. To the right; 30. To the left

1^ST LESSON,

without muskets.

The guard;

The measuring steps;

The volts.

2^ND LESSON,

without muskets.

The development;

The passade;

The leap to the rear.

3^RD LESSON,

with muskets.

The middle guard;

The thrust;

The lunge;

The lunge-out.

4^TH LESSON,

with muskets.

The four directions of attack: prime, seconde, tierce, and quarte.

5^TH LESSON.

The parries.

In prime;

In seconde;

In tierce;

In quarte.

6^TH LESSON.

The parries.

In high fierce;

In high quarte;

In seconde in retreat;

In tierce in retreat.

7^TH LESSON.

The shortened thrusts.

On the left;

On the right.

8^TH LESSON.

The blows with the butt.

To the front;

To the right;

To the left.

9^TH LESSON.

The advance, retreat, leap to the rear, combined with the movements of attack and defence.

10^TH LESSON.

The volts and leap to the rear, combined with the movements of attack and defence.

11^TH LESSON.

Combinations of the four directions of attack with each other.

12^TH LESSON.

The different combinations of the parries.

The last four lessons consist of different combinations of the movements contained in the first eight.

The men will be placed in one rank, about four feet apart, in the “Position of the Soldier.”—Scott’s Inf. Tact., par. 88.

1. First motion.—At the word guard, the recruit will turn on the left heel, bring the left toes to the front, carry the right foot to the rear, the hollow opposite to, and three inches from the left heel, the feet square to each other, the arms hanging naturally by the sides.—Fig. 1.

Second motion.—Move the right foot, quickly, twice its length, to the rear and about three inches to the right; at the same time bend the knees so that the weight of the body shall rest equally on both legs, the upper part of the body leaning a little forward, the heels on the same line, the feet at right angles to each other, and the left knee vertically over the ankle.—Fig. 2.

NOTE.—The word GUARD is the command of execution for the first motion; and TWO that for the second motion. The command TWO should not be given until the first motion has been properly executed by all the men. The prescribed length of the guard, twice the length of the foot, may vary slightly with different men.

To execute the remaining movements of the first lesson, the soldier is first placed in the position of guard.

2. Move the left foot quickly forward its own length, raising it but slightly from the ground, and follow it at once with the right foot, thus resuming the position of guard.—Fig. 3.

3. Move the right foot quickly, at least its length, to the rear, following it immediately with the left, thus resuming the position of guard.—Fig. 4.

4. Face square to the right by turning on the toes of the left foot, and describing, to the left, a quarter of a circle with the right foot. During the movement the weight of the body rests on the left leg, the knees remain bent, and the feet at the usual distance apart. This direction applies to all the volts.—Fig. 5.

5. Face square to the left by turning on the toes of the left foot, and describing, to the right, a quarter of a circle with the right foot.—Fig. 6.

6. Face to the rear by turning on the toes of the left foot, and describing, by the rear, a half circle with the right foot.—Fig. 7.

7. Face to the rear by turning on the toes of the left foot, and describing, by the front, a half circle with the right foot.—Fig. 8.

OBSERVATIONS.—The instructor will find it necessary to take pains to make the men understand that, in the right rear volt, the right foot is moved by the side of the back; and in the left rear volt, by the side of the breast. He may, with recruits, indicate by a motion of the hand the direction in which the right foot is to move.

8. Straighten strongly the right knee, and advance quickly the left foot close along the ground twice its length. The left knee should be vertically over the ankle; the right foot flat on the ground; the body erect on the haunches, and the arms hanging naturally by the sides.—Figs. 9, 10.

9. Move back the left foot to the position it occupied before the development; bend the right knee, and replace the body in its original position.

10. Move the right foot twice its length in front of the left, parallel to its first position; at once follow this movement by the development of the left foot, moving it four times its length in front of the right; the right knee is straightened and the position in all respects that of the development.—Figs. 11, 12.

NOTE.—Upon resuming the guard, the soldier is five times the length of his foot in advance of the position he occupied before the passade.

12. First motion.—Lean forward and rest the weight of the body on the left leg.—Fig. 13.

Second motion.—By a spring from the left leg, leap with both feet as far to the rear as possible; alight in the position of guard, the left foot touching the ground first.—Fig. 14.

Having brought the men to the position of shoulder arms, the instructor commands—

13. First motion.—Make a half face to the right on the left heel, bring the left toes to the front; place, at the same time, the right foot behind, and at right angles with the left, the hollow of the right foot opposite to, and about three inches from the left heel; turn the piece with the left hand, the lock outwards, and seize the handle at the same time with the right hand, the musket perpendicular and detached from the shoulder; leave the left hand under the butt.—Fig. 15.

Second motion.—Bring the feet and legs into the position of the second motion of guard without arms; at the same time bring down the piece with the hand into the left, the latter seizing it just below the tail band; the lock plate to the right and half turned up; the right hand on a level with and four inches from the navel; the point of the bayonet opposite the chin; the arms detached from the body.—Fig. 17.

Looking at the soldier from the side, the right hand should be seen a little in front of the body.

If the instructor be drilling sergeants or riflemen, he will bring them to the sergeant’s shoulder (Inf. Tact., page 180), and command—

13*. First motion.—Raise the piece with the right hand, in half facing to the right on the left heel, and bring the hollow of the right foot opposite to, and three inches from the left heel.—Fig. 16.

NOTE.—The guard, as described above, is called the “Middle Guard,” because in it the musket has the middle position between the different directions it assumes in the movements of attack and defence, as will be seen hereafter. Before proceeding to the subsequent movements, the men must now be well drilled in the first two lessons, taking care always to keep the piece in the position of the middle guard.