Going back to the intention of a bayonet. When you muzzleloader is empty you advanced rapidly through the smoke and the length of the bayonet and musket determined how close the other guy could get to you. This tradition was welded, riveted, bolted, locktited and concreted in European military thinking until after WW1 and then the stock of bayonets determined the speed of a new generation of bayonets. Which happened during and after WW2. Useful for opening tins, chopping wood, prybar, etc.

However, you knew their intention and what was going to hit the fan when you saw them charging with fixed bayonets

So never intended to be used in hand to hand fighting, that's why you read about spades and such in fighting in confined spaces. You have to get too close in a melee and use it per individual.

See the size and shape of bayonets after WW2. Much development and much closer to a multi use tool than putting it on the front of your rifle to stick into somebody else. And the relative fragility and compactness of military rifles makes really active use of a bayonet in that way moot. Makes you get too close to him or her also sticking a blade into you.