Sergeants

Sergeants, or SERJEANTS (through the Fr., from Lat. serviens, 'serving'), are non-commissioned officers of the army and marines in the grade next above corporal. They overlook the soldiers in barracks, and assist the officers in all ways in the field. They also command small bodies of men as guards, escorts, &c. The daily pay of a sergeant varies from 2s. 4d. in the infantry to 3s. 4d. in the horse artillery (see also NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS). There are three sergeants and one colour-sergeant in each company of infantry. Each troop of line cavalry has also three sergeants and one troop sergeant-major. In the Household Cavalry the corresponding non-commissioned officers are called corporals of horse (four per troop) and troop corporal-major. In the Royal Horse Artillery there are six sergeants per battery and one battery sergeant-major, whose pay is 4s. 4d. per day. A regimental sergeant-major is a warrant officer on the staff of a battalion of infantry, regiment of cavalry, or corresponding body of troops. The daily rate of pay varies from 6s. in the horse artillery to 5s. in the infantry. Unlike the sergeants, the sergeant-major does not command any particular portion of the corps, but generally superintends the whole of it, and in respect of discipline, &c. is the assistant of the adjutant. There is a separate article on COLOUR-SERGEANT. For the Quartermaster-sergeant, see QUARTERMASTER; for Sergeant-drummer and Sergeant-trumpeter, see BAND.—In ancient times the rank of sergeant was considerably more exalted. In the 12th century the sergeants were gentlemen of less than knightly rank, serving on horseback. Later the sergeants-at-arms were the royal body-guard of gentlemen armed cap-à-pie.