WAR DEPARTMENT, OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF STAFF, _Washington, February 20, 1918_.
The following Manual of the Bayonet, prepared by a board consisting of Capt. Herschel Tupes, First Infantry, and Capt. Grosvenor L. Townsend, First Infantry, is approved and issued for the information and government of the Regular Army and the Organized Militia of the United States.
By order of the Secretary of War.
LEONARD WOOD, _Major General, Chief of Staff_.
MANUAL OF THE BAYONET.
UNITED STATES ARMY.
1. The infantry soldier relies mainly on fire action to disable the enemy, but he should know that personal combat is often necessary to obtain success. Therefore, he must be instructed in the use of the rifle and bayonet in hand-to-hand encounters.
2. The object of this instruction is to teach the soldier how to make effective use of the rifle and bayonet in personal combat; to make him quick and proficient in handling his rifle; to give him an accurate eye and a steady hand; and to give him confidence in the bayonet in offense and defense. When skill in these exercises has been acquired, the rifle will still remain a most formidable weapon at close quarters should the bayonet be lost or disabled.
3. Efficiency of organizations in bayonet fighting will be judged by the skill shown by individuals in personal combat. For this purpose pairs or groups of opponents, selected at random from among recruits and trained soldiers, should engage in a.s.saults, using the fencing equipment provided for the purpose.
4. Officers and specially selected and thoroughly instructed noncommissioned officers will act as instructors.
5. Instruction in bayonet combat should begin as soon as the soldier is familiar with the handling of his rifle and will progress, as far as practicable, in the order followed in the text.
6. Instruction is ordinarily given on even ground; but practice should also be had on uneven ground, especially in the attack and defense of intrenchments.
7. These exercises will not be used as a calisthenic drill.
8. The principles of the commands are the same as those given in paragraphs 9, 15, and 38, Infantry Drill Regulations. Intervals and distances will be taken as in paragraphs 109 and 111, Infantry Drill Regulations, except that, in formations for bayonet exercises, the men should be at least four paces apart in every direction.
9. Before requiring soldiers to take a position or execute a movement for the first time, the instructor executes the same for the purpose of ill.u.s.tration, after which he requires the soldiers to execute the movement individually. Movements prescribed in this manual will not be executed in cadence as the attempt to do so results in incomplete execution and lack of vigor. Each movement will be executed correctly as quickly as possible by every man. As soon as the movements are executed accurately, the commands are given rapidly, as expertness with the bayonet depends chiefly upon quickness of motion.
10. The exercises will be interrupted at first by short and frequent rests. The rests will be less frequent as proficiency is attained.
Fatigue and exhaustion will be specially guarded against as they prevent proper interest being taken in the exercises and delay the progress of the instruction. Rests will be given from the position of order arms in the manner prescribed in Infantry Drill Regulations.
THE BAYONET.
NOMENCLATURE AND DESCRIPTION.
11. The bayonet is a cutting and thrusting weapon consisting of three princ.i.p.al parts, viz, the _blade_, _guard_, and _grip_.
[Ill.u.s.tration]
12. The blade has the following parts: Edge, false edge, back, grooves, point, and tang. The length of the blade from guard to point is 16 inches, the edge 14.5 inches, and the false edge 5.6 inches.
Length of the rifle, bayonet fixed, is 59.4 inches. The weight of the bayonet is 1 pound; weight of rifle without bayonet is 8.69 pounds.
The center of gravity of the rifle, with bayonet fixed, is just in front of the rear sight.
I. INSTRUCTION WITHOUT THE RIFLE.
13. The instructor explains the importance of good footwork and impresses on the men the fact that quickness of foot and suppleness of body are as important for attack and defense as is the ability to parry and deliver a strong point or cut.
14. All foot movements should be made from the position of _guard_. As far as practicable, they will be made on the b.a.l.l.s of the feet to insure quickness and agility. No hard and fast rule can be laid down as to the length of the various foot movements; this depends entirely on the situations occurring in combat.
15. The men having taken intervals or distances, the instructor commands:
1. _Bayonet exercise_, 2. _GUARD_.
At the command _guard_, half face to the right, carry back and place the right foot about once and a half its length to the rear and about 3 inches to the right, the feet forming with each other an angle of about 60, weight of the body balanced equally on the b.a.l.l.s of the feet, knees slightly bent, palms of hands on hips, fingers to the front, thumbs to the rear, head erect, head and eyes straight to the front.
16. To resume the attention, 1. _Squad_, 2. _ATTENTION_. The men take the position of the soldier and fix their attention.
17. _ADVANCE._ Advance the left foot quickly about once its length, follow immediately with the right foot the same distance.
18. _RETIRE._ Move the right foot quickly to the rear about once its length, follow immediately with the left foot the same distance.
19. 1. _Front_, 2. _Pa.s.s_. Place the right foot quickly about once its length in front of the left, advance the left foot to its proper position in front of the right.
20. 1. _Rear_, 2. _Pa.s.s_. Place the left foot quickly about once its length in rear of the right, retire the right foot to its proper position in rear of the left.
The pa.s.ses are used to get quickly within striking distance or to withdraw quickly therefrom.
21. 1. _Right_, 2. _STEP_. Step to the right with the right foot about once its length and place the left foot in its proper relative position.
22. 1. _Left_, 2. _STEP_. Step to the left with the left foot about once its length and place the right foot in its proper relative position.
These steps are used to circle around an enemy, to secure a more favorable line of attack, or to avoid the opponent"s attack. Better ground or more favorable light may be gained in this way. In bayonet fencing and in actual combat the foot first moved in stepping to the right or left is the one which at the moment bears the least weight.
II. INSTRUCTION WITH THE RIFLE.
23. The commands for and the execution of the foot movements are the same as already given for movements without the rifle.
24. The men having taken intervals or distances, the instructor commands:
1. _Bayonet exercise_, 2. _GUARD_.
At the second command take the position of guard (see par. 15); at the same time throw the rifle smartly to the front, grasp the rifle with the left hand just below the lower band, fingers between the stock and gun sling, barrel turned slightly to the left, the right hand grasping the small of the stock about 6 inches in front of the right hip, elbows free from the body, bayonet point at the height of the chin.
25. 1. _Order_, 2. _ARMS_.
Bring the right foot up to the left and the rifle to the position of order arms, at the same time resuming the position of attention.
26. During the preliminary instruction, attacks and defenses will be executed from guard until proficiency is attained, after which they may be executed from any position in which the rifle is held.