Original Item. Only One Available. This is a tremendous British Brown Bess bayonet with markings 5B XX engraved into the side of the socket. Through our research we believe the bayonet to have been issued to the 20th Regiment of Foot, often written in Roman numerals ‘XX Foot’, (hence the regiment’s nickname The Two Tens). During the Seven Years’ War the regiment earned honor at the Battle of Minden on 1 August 1759, when, as an infantry formation, they stood fast and broke a French cavalry charge. During the American Revolutionary War, the regiment was sent to Quebec in April 1776 and assisted in the relief of Quebec in May 1776. Serving under General John Burgoyne for the remainder of the Canadian campaign, they later surrendered along with General Burgoyne at Saratoga.
The bayonet measures 20¾” long with a 16” blade. The bayonet is void of any other markings. Designed for the .75 bore Brown Bess Musket, which was in service for over 100 years as the primary long arm of the British Empire. Condition is very good, with just a bit of surface rust and light staining in places as shown.
This is a fantastic piece of British colonial history ready for display with your Brown Bess Musket or on its own!