Copyright 2006 T. Sheil & A. Sheil All Rights Reserved
Up until the end of the American Civil War, the French were considered the best at drill. Several American manuals were nothing more than translations of French works. The bayonet system given here was included in a manual translated by Colonel James Monroe of the New York State militia. The drill maneuvers were copied from the work of a French general named Le Louterel. Monroe got the bayonet system from the French 1861 ordonnance. His translation was published in New York in 1863.
The French system shown here is simple and direct. It relies on fast footwork and the usual lunges and thrusts. The illustrations show use of the long sword bayonet which was gaining popularity at the time. In fact, it was a favorite with American and French Zouave units.
The footwork is tighter than many contemporary systems.
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Guard against Infantry  |
Guard against Cavalry  |
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Thrust in Tierce  |
Parry  |
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Thrust in Prime (lunge)  |
Thrust at Horseman in Prime  |
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Shorten Bayonet (point aimed high)  |
Shorten Bayonet (point aimed forward)  |
Disclaimer: the fighting methods shown here are for illustrative purposes only. They are not intended as actual instruction in bayonet fighting and should not be used as such. Close combat training is dangerous. It can be as dangerous for the user as it is for the target. If you wish to learn close combat, seek a qualified instructor. One should never attempt close combat without the instruction and supervision of a qualified expert instructor .