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porating them under one standard, andof rendering them fit for war.”

Sergent de bttttde, Fr. a seijeanc inthe common acceptation of the term.—The etymology of this word is differentfrom that ofsergent noble. It evidentlycomes from the French serregent, thatclose, or lock up, the same as serre-files; shewing that this non-commis-sioned officer was placed to take chargeof the rear files, whilst the commissionedone was in front. It was his businessto see that the rear conformed itself tothe orders which were given in thefront; to make the files lock up, anddress, &c.

Sergent de bataille, Fr. field Ser-jeant. This was an appointment of con-siderable trust in the old French .armies.The sergens de bataille held commands,and did the duty of inspectors. Theyranked next to a field marshal, or mar'e-chal de bataille. The sergens de bataille,or field seijeants, existed under Francisthe First. But these field seijeants wereonly at that time sergens de bamies, ortrain seijeants. There were likewise,under the same king, sergens g'en'eraux debataille , general field serjeants. Thesewere officers of rank, and did the duty ofa modern major-general.

There were also officers of the samedescription in the reign of Henry IV .This appointment appears to have beendropped after the peace of the Tyre-,nees. The author of the Histmre dela Milice Fran^aise, observes, that theappointment and duty of the differentofficers, called marshals, or field ser-jeants, varied according to the willand pleasure of the French kings, andtheir war ministers. He agrees withus, that the situation of field serjeantwas originally of great consequence,but that it gradually declined, and waseventually made subservient to a supe-rior officer, who was called marec.hal debataille, whose duties corresponded withthose of adjutant-general in the presenttimes.

There have been officers of the samedenomination both in Spain and Ger­ many , who did the duty of nmrechul decamp; another term, we presume, formajor-general. But the general fieldseijeants, in those countries, were dividedinto two classes; one class was confined,in its functions, to the infantry, and the«ther to the cavalry; and both acted

independently of one another ; whereas,in France they acted together.

SERGENTER, Fr. a word frequentlyused by the French , in a figurativesense, signifying to press, to importune.On n’aime point a ttre sergcnt'c, onedoes not like to be pressed; or, as wefamiliarly say, to be dragooned into athing.

SERUD, Ind. a boundary or frontier.

SERJEANT, 1 in rear, is a non-

SERGEANT, > commissioned or

CSergent , Fr.) 3 inferior officer ina company or troop, armed with a pike,and appointed to see discipline observed;to teach the private men their exercise;and to order, straighten, and form ranks,files, &c. lie receives the orders fromthe serjeant-inajor, which he communi-cates to his officers. Each company hasgenerally three seijeants in the Britishservice.

SERJEANT- Major. The serjeant-major is the first non-commissionedofficer in the regiment after the quarter-master. He is, in fact, an assistant tothe adjutant.

It is his peculiar duty to be perfectmaster of every thing which relates todrills; and it is always expected, thathe should set an example, to the restof the non-commissioned officers, ofmanly, soldier-like, and zealous activity.

lie must be thoroughly acquaintedwith all the details which regard theinterior management and the disciplineof a regiment. For this purpose hemust be a good penman, and must keepregular lists of the seijeants and cor-porals, with the dates of their appoint-ments, as well as the roster for theirduties, and rosters of privates, orderlyduty and commands, as far as relates tothe number which each troop, or com-pany, is to furnish. He is, in everyrespect, responsible for the accuracy ofthese details. He must look well to theappearance of the men, and order suchto drill as he sees awkward, slovenly, orin any way irregular. If it be meant asa punishment, lie specifies the time forwhich they are sent to drill; it only forawkwardness, they remain there untiltheir faults are removed.

When he has occasion to put a non-commissioned officer in arrest, he mustreport him to the adjutant.

In most regiments, the serjeant-major,under the direction of the adjutant, iS5 k2