18th Centrury English Question

[Scumpup]

In this paragraph which describes American riflemen of the 1700’s:

As for the mountaineer, or the wild Scotch-Irish, this is a species of poor folk gathered from all the nations of the world. They dwell in miserable log cabins, in the mountains three of four hundred miles from the seacost, and live from the chase. Since these people usually maintain relations from the Indians, who are their neighbors, they take pains to assume a wild appearance, which results naturally from their rough manner of living. They are excellent and dangerous shots, and can easily bring a folded bayonet off their leg. They choose their own leaders and pay not attention to discipline. He who falls into their hands as prisoners seldom keeps anything more than what nature gave him at birth

what does the phrase “and can easily bring a folded bayonet off their leg” mean?

[MaryEFoo]

Can’t answer the question, but the title might work better as “18th Century Weapons Question”.

[Rube_E.Tewesday]

According to the Shorter O.E.D., an obsolete meaning of bayonet is simply “short flat dagger”. My guess, therefore, is that the writer is saying that not only are the mountaineers crack shots, they all pack folding knives (as in a jack-knife, but mean).

In short, as was the case with Clifton Clowers 200 years later, they were mighty handy with a gun and a knife, and you should stay off their mountain.