[Colt46]

Somewhere in France is a region/town called Bayonne. At some point bearhunters(or maybe boar) had problems with defending themselves from wounded animals. Some enterprising individual stuck his knife in his gun muzzle and created the bayonet. This is the extent of my knowledge. Is this correct? When did the military decide this was a good idea. Who adopted the bayonet first? Are there any online sites that give a broader overview? Thanks for any help/ideas.

[rugerfreak]

There was a thing on the History channel awhile back----nothing to do with hunters---but a replacement of the spear----for battle.

[JohnMc]

FWIW, I saw a sword that had a matchlock kinda stuck on the side of it. It was in a book or museum when I was a kid. At any rate, the owner probably viewed it as a little extra juice for his sword, rather than a backup for his gun.
I imagine that stuff like that came before the per se bayonnet.
JohnMc

[Sunray]

Actually an add-on to the PBI's weapons. Pikemen started to be issued firearms, single shot of course, they needed something to use after that shot. Their sword was shortened and stuck into the muzzle replacing both the pike/spear and the sword. Most bayonets were sword-like so it could be used as such as well. Nothing whatever to do with hunting. Never was. Strictly a military thing.

[MrAcheson]

Exactly, the bayonet was a military weapon. It turns a musket into a spear for use against both infantry and cavalry. I believe people first started using it in the early-to-mid 18th century. The english defeat of Bonny Prince Charley at Culloden has been credited to the bayonet (although sound english tactics had more to do with it).

[Bill Hook]

Plug, socket and lug(?).