Quarter-master Serjeant. A non-commissioned officer who acts under the quarter-master of a regiment; he ought to be a steady man, a good accountant, and to be well acquainted with the resources of a country town or village.
Pay-Serjeant. An honest, steady, non-commissioned officer, (who is a good accountant, and writes well) that is selected by the captain of a company in the infantry, to pay the men, give out rations, and to account weekly to him, or to his subaltern, (as the case may be) for all disbursements. He likewise keeps a regular state of the necessaries of the men, and assists in making up the monthly abstract for pay, allowances, &c.
Covering Serjeant. A non-commissioned officer who during the exercise of a battalion, regularly stands or moves behind each officer, commanding or acting with a platoon or company. When the ranks take open order, and the officers move in front, the covering serjeants replace their leaders; and when the ranks are closed, they fall back in their rear.
Drill Serjeant. An expert and active non-commissioned officer, who, under the immediate direction of the serjeant major, instructs the raw recruits of a regiment in the first principles of military exercise. When awkward or ill-behaved men are sent to drill, they are usually placed under the care of the drill serjeant. This non-commissioned officer will do well to bear constantly in mind the following observations from page 135, Vol I. of the Règlemens pour l’Infanterie Prusienne.
“In teaching young recruits their first duties, the greatest caution must be observed not to give them a disgust to the service, by harsh treatment, angry and impatient words, and much less by blows. The utmost mildness must, on the contrary, be shewn, in order to endear the service to them; and the several parts of exercise must be taught them by degrees; so that they become insensibly acquainted with the whole of the discipline, without having been disgusted in the acquirement. Rustics and strangers must be used with extreme lenity.”
The principle of kind conduct is not less worthy of the officers of a free nation like the United States; a generous but firm conduct is always better calculated to assure good discipline, than violence or brutality. Men learn sooner, learn better, and like what they learn when treated as men, not as brutes. There yet prevails too much of the barbarity of the British and German systems in the American army.
Lance Serjeant. A corporal who acts as serjeant in a company, but only receives the pay of corporal.
White Serjeant. A term of just ridicule, which is applied to those ladies who, taking advantage of the uxoriousness of their husbands, and neglect their household concerns, to interfere in military matters.
SERMENT, Fr. Oath.
Prêter Serment, Fr. To take an oath.