Describe symbolism in Sharpe's Revenge: Richard Sharpe and the Peace of 1814 by Bernard Cornwell

The bayonet represents traditional warfare. A bayonet is a blade or spike that is designed to be attached to the end of a rifle or musket, converting the weapon into a type of spear. Some British troops used a long, fully-bladed sword bayonet while others used the more-common spike bayonet. In any event, bayonets are fearsome weapons used during close-quarters combat as they make a fired single-shot musket into a deadly weapon.