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ordered to drill every young officer wlioconies into the regiment, in the manualand platoon exercises; he is likewise toinstruct him in the slow and quickmarches, in wheeling, &c. lie is paidfor his trouble by each officer whom heinstructs. In some regiments, especiallyof cavalry, one guinea and a half, and inothers one guinea is given.

lie reports regularly to the adjutantthe exact state of the awkward drill, See.

It is scarcely necessary to observe inthis place, that the good or bad ap-pearance of a regiment, with or with-out arms, depends greatly upon the skilland activity of a serjeant-major; andthat he has every inducement to lookforward to promotion.

Armourer- Serjeant, the serjeant whohas the care of the arms belonging to abattalion, troop or company. He isunder the quarter-master.

Covering-Sc.RJE.AttT, a non-commis-sioned officer, who during the exercise ofa battalion, regularly stands or movesbehind each officer, commanding, or act-ing with, a platoon or company. Whenthe ranks take open order, and theofficers move in front, the covering Ser-jeants replace their leaders; and whenthe ranks are closed they fall back intheir rear.

UriW-Sv.RjEAiiT, an expert and activenon-commissioned officer, who, underthe immediate direction of the serjeant-major, instructs the raw recruits of aregiment in the first principles of militaryexercise. When awkward, or ill-be-haved men are sent to drill, they areusually placed under the care of thedrill-serjeant. This non-commissionedofficer will do well to bear constantly inmind the following observations from page135,vol. i. of tile Reglemem pour I'lnfan-terie Prussienne.

“ In teaching young recruits theirfirst duties, the greatest caution must beobserved not to give them a disgust tothe service, by harsh treatment, angryand impatient words, and much less byblows. The utmost mildness must, onthe contrary, be shewn, in order toendear the service to them; and theseveral parts ot exercise must be taughtthem by degrees ; so that they becomeinsensibly acquainted with the whole ofthe discipline, without having been dis-gusted in the acquirement. Rustics andstrangers must be used with extremelenity,”

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Pm/-Sr.KJEANT, or Paymasier-Slc-.jeant, an honest, steady, non-commis-sioned officer, (who is a good accountant,and writes well) that is selected by thecaptain of a company in the infantry, topay the men twice a week, and to ac-count weekly to him, or to his subaltern,(as the case may be) for all disburse-ments. He likewise keeps a regular stateof the necessaries of the men, and assistsin making up the monthly abstract forpay allowances, See.

Qmrtcr-masterSETtJr.AXT, a non-com-missioned officer who acts under thequarter-master of a regiment; he oughtto be a steady man, a good accountant,and to be well acquainted with the re-sources of a country-town or village.

L«nce-SERJEANT, a corporal who actsas a serjeant in a company, but only re-ceives the pay of a corporal.

School-Master- Serjeant, the seijeantwho has the instruction of the boys be-longing to a regiment, where a school iskept up and supported by the colonels ofregiments.

'HVijIc-Sekjeakt, a term of just ridi-cule in the British service, which isapplied to those ladies, who, taking ad-vantage of the uxoriousness of their hus-bands, neglect their household concerns,to interfere in military matters.

Serjeant -at-arms, an officer appointedto attend the person of a king, arresttraitors, and persons of quality otfending,and to attend the lord steward when hesits in judgment on any traitor.

SERMENT, Fr. oath.

Priter Serment, Ir. to take an oath.

Sekment de soldut, Fr. the soldier’s,oath, or oath of fidelity, and passiveobedience, as far as lawful commandsextend. For the oath which was takenamong the Homans, see Sacramentum.

SERPE, Fr. a bill hook.

SEREEiTamesyFr. anotiensiveweapon;so called from its resemblance to a hedg-ing bill.

SEltPENS, Fr. See Salamanure.

SERPENTEAU, Fr. a round ironcircle, with small spikes, and squibs affitaclied to them. It is frequently usedin the attack and defence of a breach.It likewise means a fusee, which is filledwith gunpowder, and is bent in such amanner, that when it takes fire, it ob-tains a circular rapid motion, and throwsout sparks of light in various directions.

Serpenteaux, et serpenteuux bro »chetcs, Fr. a species of fusee, which is.