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Posted by Bas de Groot IMHO, the bayonet had 2 goals: to frighten the enemy into retreating, and to keep an infantryman a respectable distance from any enemy cavalry. Just my $0.02 ;-) Bas de Groot Link: Gordon Highlanders
on 12/22/2004, 4:47 am, in reply to "Re: Bayonets"
194.109.163.71
Er....and this relates to the question of how often bayonets were used in what way?
*grin* just kidding...
Memoirs of British military men during the Peninsular War rarely mention an actual engagement with the bayonet. In general, one side, either defender or attacker, whichever had the least cohesion and guts of the two whilst getting nearer to one another, would retreat. Actual fights with bayonets only occurred when retreat was not an option, or when opposite sides found themselves upon one another by surprise, for example, when both climbing a hill, or when stumbling upon one another in darkness.
92nd Gordon Highlanders
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