h may be more
than compensated for at very close quarters by the greater ease with
which a man can "shorten arms" effectively as well as by the double
edge. Every ounce saved in the weight of a soldier's accoutrements is a
great gain, and these new bayonets are light and, as I have hinted, are
likely to be extremely useful for the every-day work of a long march.

It is not my intention to deal with the bayonet-exercise as practised by
squads of infantry, but, before proceeding to deal with some of the more
important situations in attack and defence, I would advise those who
wish to become proficient to learn the drill. The best way to do this is
to join the Volunteers, and get all the squad work possible as a means
of gaining a _command_ over the weapon--the continued use of which for
any length of time is extremely fatiguing. When the rudiments are
mastered, and you know fairly well how to respond to the reiterated
words of command: "High Guard"--"Pint;" "Low Guard"--"Pint," etc., and
can form the "pints" and guards in a respectable manner, it will be well
to join some school of arms with a proficient and painstaking military
instructor who is also an expert swordsman. I say _swordsman_ advisedly,
because I am convinced that it is only one who is a fencer who can be
really qualified to impart knowledge on the subject of weapons chiefly
used for pointing.

No man can be said to use the bayonet efficiently who is not able to
tackle another man similarly armed--a swordsman on foot or a mounted man
armed with the cavalry sabre.

For ordinary practice the first thing to be secured is a good
spring-bayonet musket, somewhere about the weight of the ordinary rifle,
provided with a bayonet which, by means of a strong spiral spring inside
the barrel, can be pressed back eighteen inches or so when it comes in
contact with the object thrust against. It is hardly necessary to
observe that the point of the bayonet must be covered with a good
button, similar to those used on fencing foils, only much larger. The
button should be tightly encased with layer upon layer of soft leather,
and then bound over with stout parchment or stiff leather, and tied very
strongly with whipcord or silk just behind the button. This precaution
is very necessary to guard against broken ribs, collar-bones, etc.

The illustrations which embellish or disfigure this chapter do not
profess to do more than indicate a few of the more important positions,
poi