Part 144

SEPADAR, _Ind._ An officer of the rank of brigadier-general.

SEPAHI, _Ind._ A feudatory chief, or military tenant; a soldier. See SEPOYS.

SEPHARRY, _Ind._ Afternoon.

SEPOYS, _Ind._ derived from the Persian _Spahi_. Natives who have inlisted themselves into the service of the East India Company, and are attached to the infantry. These troops have both native and European commissioned and non-commissioned officers; but the Europeans at all times command. The Sepahis make excellent soldiers, are remarkably clean, and feel a natural predilection for arms. See SPAHI.

SERAKHUR, _Ind._ SERANG, Native non-commissioned officers who are employed in the artillery, and on board ships of war. In the artillery the title answers to that of _serjeant_; in the naval service to that of _boatswain_.

SERASKUR, _Ind._ This word is sometimes written Seraskier, and signifies the commander in chief of a Turkish army.

SERDANS. Colonels in the Turkish Service are so called.

SERGENT, _Fr._ See SERGEANT or SERJEANT.

SERGENT _noble_, _Fr._ A post of honor which existed during the first periods of the French monarchy. The French compiler, from whose work we have occasionally translated much matter relative to the military history, &c. of France, has the following passage concerning the term itself. We shall give his meaning literally:--“This term does not come from _serviens_, as I have imagined in common with many other etymologists. Monsieur Beneton, in his _Histoire de la Guerre_, says, that the serjeant who seemed to think he could trace the origin of his title in the Latin word _Serviens_, was a gentleman by birth, who during the prevalence of military fiefs, was liable to do military service, in consequence of the feodal tenure, called _Fief de Sergenterie_, by which he held his land. His superior officer was called _Suzerain_, the functions of whose situation corresponded with those of a modern adjutant. It was the business of the _Sergent Noble_, or gentleman serjeant, to assemble all the vassals of the Suzerain, for the purpose of incorporating them under one standard, and of rendering them fit for war.

SERGENT _de bande_, _Fr._ Serjeant in the common acceptation of the term. The etymology of this word is different from that of Sergent Noble. It evidently comes from the French _Serregens_, or men that close or lock up, the same as serrefiles; shewing that this non-commissioned officer was placed to take charge of the rear files, whilst the commissioned one was in the front. It was his business to see that the rear conformed itself to the orders which were given in the front; to make the files lock up and dress, &c.

SERGENT _de bataille_, _Fr._ Field Serjeant. This was an appointment of considerable trust in the old French armies. The _sergens de bataille_ held commands, and did the duty of modern inspectors. They ranked next to a field marshal, or _marechal de bataille_. The _sergens de bataille_, or field serjeants, existed under Francis the First. But these field serjeants were only at that time _sergens de bandes_, or train serjeants. There were likewise, under the same king, _sergens generaux de bataille_, general field serjeants. These were officers of rank, and did the duty of a modern major general.

There were also officers of the same description in the reign of Henry IV. This appointment appears to have been dropped after the peace of the _Pyrenees_. The author of the _Histoire de la Milice Francaise_, observes, that the appointment and duty of the different officers, called marshals, or field serjeants, varied according to the will and pleasure of the French kings, and their war-ministers. He agrees with us, that the situation of field serjeant was originally of great consequence, but that it gradually declined, and was eventually made subservient to a superior officer, who was called _Marechal de bataille_, or field-marshal, whose duties corresponded with those of the French adjutant-general in the present times.

There have been officers of the same denomination both in Spain and Germany, who did the duty of Maréchaux de Camp; another term, we presume, for field marshal. But the general field serjeants in those countries were divided into two classes; one class was confined, in its functions, to the infantry, and the other to the cavalry; and both acted independently of one another; whereas in France they acted together.

According to the present establishment of the French army, there is a serjeant major belonging to each company. The _sergens majors d’un régiment_, or _d’une place_ of the old French service, were what are now simply called _majors_, majors of regiments, or town majors. The senior serjeant of every company is called _serjeant major_ in the French army at this time. In the British army the _serjeant major_ is the head of the non-commissioned officers, and though sometimes attached to a company, is generally a detached staff officer. See SERJEANT MAJOR.

SERGENTER, _Fr._ A word frequently used by the French in a figurative sense, signifying to press, to importune. _On n’aime pointe à être sergenté_; one does not like to be pressed; or as we familiarly say, to be dragooned into a thing.

SERHUD, _Ind._ A boundary, or frontier.

SERGEANT, SERJEANT, SERGENT, _Fr._ in _war_, is a non-commissioned or inferior officer in a company or troop, and appointed to see discipline observed; to teach the private men their exercise; and to order, and form ranks, files, &c. He receives the orders from the serjeant-major, which he communicates to his officers. Each company has generally four serjeants.

SERJEANT-_Major_. The serjeant-major is the first non-commissioned officer in the regiment after the quarter-master in the English army. He is, in fact, an assistant to the adjutant.

It is his peculiar duty to be perfect master of every thing which relates to drills; and it is always expected, that he should set an example to the rest of the non-commissioned officers, by his manly, soldier-like, and zealous activity.

He must be thoroughly acquainted with all the details which regard the interior management and the discipline of a regiment. For this purpose he must be a good penman, and must keep regular returns of the serjeants and corporals, with the dates of their appointments, as well as the roster for their duties, and rosters of privates orderly duty and commands, as far as relates to the number which each troop or company is to furnish. He is in every respect responsible for the accuracy of these details. He must look well to the appearance of the men, and order such to drill as he sees awkward, slovenly, or in any way irregular. If it be meant as a punishment, he specifies the time for which they are sent to drill: if only for awkwardness, they remain there until their faults are removed.

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

It is the duty of the serjeant-major, under the direction of the adjutant, to drill every young officer who comes into the regiment in the manual and marching exercises: he is likewise to instruct him in the slow and quick marches, in wheeling, &c.

He reports regularly to the adjutant the exact state of the awkward drill, &c.

It is scarcely necessary to observe in this place, that the good or bad appearance of a regiment, with or without arms, depends greatly upon the skill and activity of the serjeant major; and that he has every inducement to look forward to promotion.

_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.

SERPE, _Fr._ A billhook.

SERPE _d’armes_, _Fr._ An offensive weapon; so called from its resemblance to a hedging bill.

SERPENTEAU, _Fr._ A round iron circle, with small spikes, and squibs attached to them. It is frequently used in the attack and defence of a breach. It likewise means a fusee, which is filled with gunpowder, and is bent in such a manner, that when it takes fire, it obtains a circular rapid motion, and throws out sparks of light in various directions.

SERPENTEAUX _et serpenteaux brochettes_, _Fr._ A species of lardon or fusee, which is garnished or loaded upon a stick or spit that is a third of the length of the cartridge.

SERPENTIN, _Fr._ The cock of a musquet or firelock.

SERRE-_File_, _Fr._ The last rank of a battalion, by which its depth is ascertained, and which always forms its rear. When ranks are doubled, the battalion resumes its natural formation by means of the serre-files. Serre-file literally signifies a bringer up.

SERRE _demi File_, _Fr._ That rank in a battalion which determines the half of its depth, and which marches before the demi-file. Thus a battalion standing six deep, has its _serre-demi file_ in the third rank, which determines its depth.

_Capitaine de_ SERRE-_File_, _Fr._ The officer who commands a rear guard when a regiment is on its march.

SERRER, _Fr._ To close up. _Serrez vos rangs._ Take close order.

SERRER _la bride_, _Fr._ To pull in the bridle.

SERRURE, _Fr._ A lock.

SERRURIER, _Fr._ A locksmith.

SERVANS _d’armes_, or _Chevaliers Servans_, _Fr._ Persons belonging to the third class of the order of Malta are so called. They are not noblemen, although they wear the sword and the cross.

_To_ SERVE, (_Servir_, _Fr._) In a military sense, to do duty as an officer or soldier.

_To_ SERVE _a piece_. In the artillery, to load and fire with promptitude and correctness. The French use the term in the same sense, viz. _L’artillerie fut bien servie à ce siege_. The artillery was well served at this siege.

SERVICE, (_Service_, _Fr._) In a general sense of the word, as far as it relates to war, every species of military duty which is done by an inferior under the influence and command of a superior. It likewise means exploit, achievement. It also points out the particular profession to which a man belongs, as land service, sea service, and the degree of knowlege which he may have acquired by practice, viz. He has seen a great deal of service.

SERVICE likewise means the period during which a man has done duty, or followed the military profession in an active manner.

_To see_ SERVICE. To be in actual contact with an enemy.

_To be on_ SERVICE. To be doing actual duty with a corps or detachment.

_To enter into the_ SERVICE. To receive a commission in the army. The individual must be recommended to the commander in chief, or to the secretary at war, (as the case may be) stating him to be fully qualified to hold that situation.

_To retire from the_ SERVICE. To quit the army, or resign.

No officer can resign his commission, or retire from the service, without having previously obtained permission through the commander in chief, or the secretary at war, as the case may be.

_To retire from the_ SERVICE, _keeping one’s rank_. It has sometimes happened, that an officer has obtained permission to quit the army, keeping his rank. By which means he has been enabled to return into the service, and to take advantage of his original standing. A very meritorious officer, of high rank at present, was permitted to retire in this manner. There have been instances of officers retiring not only with their rank, but with a certain allowance from the regiment.

_Infantry_ SERVICE. Service done by foot soldiers.

_Cavalry_ SERVICE. Service done by soldiers on horseback.

_Faire son_ SERVICE, _Fr._ To do one’s duty.

_Etre de_ SERVICE, _Fr._ To be on duty.

_Etre de_ SERVICE, _chez le roi_. To do duty at the palace.

_Service_ likewise means tour of duty, or routine of service.

SERVICE _de l’infanterie en marche_, _Fr._ The regular duties, or routine of service which an infantry regiment goes through when it receives orders to march. These are, the general, _la génêrale_ ou _le premier_. The assembly, _l’assemblée_. The troop, _le drapeau_ ou _le dernier_.

SERVICE _des places_, _Fr._ The regular duty, or routine of service, which is performed in fortified towns or places. Of this description are garrison duties. See _l’Essai sur la science de la guerre_ par Mons. le baron D’Espagnac, tom. iii. p. 355, and _les Elémens Militaires_, tom. ii. p. 116, where specific regulations on this head may be seen. We likewise recommend to the perusal of every engineer and artillery officer, a late valuable publication, entitled Essai Générale de Fortification et d’Attaque et Defence des places.

SERVICE _de campagne_, _Fr._ Field duties: This subject has been ably treated by several French writers, and among others by the author of _les Elemens Militaires_, tom. ii. p. 1, &c. and in tom. iv. p. 68, &c.

_A letter of_ SERVICE. See LETTER.

_Home_ SERVICE. In a military sense, the duty which is done within the limits of the United States. This term is frequently used to distinguish such troops as are not liable to serve beyond specified limits, from those that have been raised for general service; as the militia in the several stares of the union.

_Foreign_ SERVICE. Military duty, or service done abroad.

_Secret_ SERVICE. Any service performed by an individual, in a clandestine secret manner. It likewise means intelligence, or information given by spies when countries are engaged in war, for which they receive pecuniary compensation.

_Secret_ SERVICE _money_. The reward, or compensation which is given for secret intelligence.

SERVICEABLE, capable of performing all necessary military duty.

SERVICES. Pecuniary disbursements, or payments which are made for military purposes.

SERVIR _le canon_, _Fr._ To serve the cannon.

SERVIR _l’artillerie_, _Fr._ To serve the artillery.

_To_ SET _a sentry_, (_Poser une sentinelle_, _Fr._) To place a soldier at any particular spot for its security.

_To_ SET _on_, (_Attaquer_, _Fr._) To attack.

_To_ SET _at defiance_, (_defier_, _Fr._) To defy; to dare to combat, &c.

_To_ SET _up_. To make a man fit for military movements and parade, according to the old and ridiculous method of military instruction; by which a man was placed in _stiff_ and _awkward_ attitudes, with the notion of making him supple and active! But that excess of setting up which stiffens the person, and tends to throw the body backward instead of forward, is contrary to every true principle of movement, and must, therefore, be most carefully avoided. By the new principles nature is consulted, and instead of teaching one man awkward positions, fifty or an hundred are taught at once to move in an easy and natural manner.

SETENDY, _Ind._ The militia.

SETTER, _in gunnery_, a round stick to drive fuzes, or any other compositions, into cases made of paper.

SHAFT-_rings_. See RINGS.

SEUIL, _Fr._ A threshold.

SEUIL _d’ecluse_, _Fr._ A thick piece of wood which is laid cross-ways between two stakes at the bottom of the water, for the purpose of supporting the flood-gate.

SEUIL _de pont levis_. A thick piece of wood with a groove, which is fixed on the edge of the counterscarp of a fosse or ditch, in order to bear the weight or pressure of the draw-bridge, when it is lowered. It is likewise called _sommier_, a _summer_ or principal beam.

SEWER. In military architecture, a drain, conduit, or conveyance, for carrying off water, foliage, &c. It is necessary that every building have conveniencies for discharging its refuse water, and other useless and offensive matters. These are obtained by digging and laying sewers and drains at proper depths, and with the necessary outlets: the great care is, that they be large enough; that they be placed sufficiently deep, and have a proper descent; that they be well arched over, and have so free a passage, that there be no danger of their choaking up; the cleaning them being a work of trouble and expence.

Instead of making the bottom of the sewer a flat floor, it should be in the form of an inverted arch, answering in part to the sweep of the arch above. Every one knows that the freest passage is through circular channels; and these might easily be constructed so as to wear that form; they would resemble so many water-pipes of a circular base, and there would be no danger of their filling up. The perpendicular walls would not retain any thing, because there are no angles in their joining; and the bottom being round and free, all would run off. These circular sewers are with us called _culverts_.

SEX-_angled_, having six angles.

SEXTANT, (_Sextant_, _Fr._) In mathematics, an instrument which serves to measure angles. It is the segment of a circle, or an arch of 60 degrees, which makes the sixth part of a circle.

SEYMAR-_Bassy_, _or first lieutenant general of the Janizaries_. An officer among the Turks who not only commands the Janizaries that are called _Seymenis_, but when the Aga, (which signifies chief guardian, and Aga-si, chief or guardian of) takes the field, who further takes the title of Kaymekan, or his lieutenant at Constantinople. He is authorised to put his own seal upon the different dispatches which he sends, and takes rank of all the sardars or colonels in his jurisdiction. He is likewise entrusted with the entire direction and management of all that concerns or relates to the interior government of the Janizaries.

SHAKEE, _Ind._ A small coin, of the value of about three-pence.

SHAKER, _Ind._ A city.

SHAIT, _Ind._ Bridge, embankment.

SHAFT, an arrow; a missive weapon.

SHAFT, in mining; a narrow, deep perpendicular pit.

SHAFTS _of a carriage_, are two poles joined together with cross bars, by which the hind horse guides the carriage, and supports the fore part of the shafts; the hind part turning round an iron bolt.

SHAFT-_bars_, are two pieces of wood to fasten the hind ends of the shafts together, into which they are pinned with wooden pins.

SHALLIE, _Ind._ The same as batty, which signifies rice in the husk.

SHAMROCK. The Irish word for trefoil, clover, or three leafed grass. It is worn by the Irish in their hats on the 17th of March, St. Patrick’s day.

SHANK. The long part of any instrument.

SHAROCK, _Ind._ A silver coin, equal in value to about one shilling.

SHAUMIARIS, _Ind._ A canopy of cotton cloth.

SHAW, _Ind._ A king.

SHAWZADA, _Ind._ The king’s son.

SHEED, _Ind._ A witness.

SHEICK. A chief of a tribe among the Arabs. Mr. Morier, in his account of a campaign with the Ottoman army, relates that in 1800, a fanatic sheick, who pretended to be inspired, headed the Fellahs, (the lowest class of inhabitants are so called among the Arabs) of the district of Demanhour, and caused a detachment of 80 Frenchmen to be put to death in the night; this was effected by first securing the sentinel.

SHELLS, in _gunnery_, are hollow iron balls to throw out of mortars or howitzers with a fuze hole of about an inch diameter, to load them with powder, and to receive the fuze: the bottom, or part opposite the fuze, is made heavier than the rest, that the fuze may fall uppermost; but in small elevations this is not always the case, nor is it necessary; for, let it fall as it will, the fuze sets fire to the powder within, which bursts the shell, and causes great devastation. The shells had much better be made of an equal thickness, for then they burst into more pieces.

_The following shells may also be fired from guns._

Hand grenades from 6 Prs. 4²⁄₅ shells 12 Prs. 5¹⁄₂ shells 24 Prs. 8 inch 68 Pr. carronades.

Shells may likewise be thrown from guns to short distances, in case of necessity, though the bore be not of a diameter sufficient to admit the shell. For this purpose the gun may be elevated to any degree that will retain the shell upon its muzzle, which may be assisted by a small line going from the ears of the shell round the neck of the gun. To produce a greater effect, the space between the shell and the charge may be filled with wads or other substance.

_Shells for Mortars and Howitzers--Their Dimensions, Weight, &c._

+---------+-----------------+-------+--------+--------+ | | | | Powder | | | | | | con- | Powder | | | | | tained | for + | | | Diam- | in | burst- | | Kind. | Weight. | eter. | Shells.| ing. | +---------+-----------------+-------+--------+--------+ | |Ct. qr. lbs. oz.|Inches.|lbs. oz.|lbs. oz.| |13 inch. | 1 3 2 | 12³⁄₄ | 10 4 | 6 12 | |10 -- | 3 9 | 9³⁄₄ | 4 5 | 2 10 | | 8 -- | 1 11¹⁄₂ | 7³⁄₄ | 2 12 | 1 14 | | 5¹⁄₂ -- | 15¹⁄₄ | 5¹⁄₄ | 1 | 12 | | 4²⁄₅ -- | 8 | 4¹⁄₅ | 7 | 5 | |H. Gren.{| 3 11 | 3·49 | | | | {| 1 13 | 2·77 | | 1 | | | | | | | +---------+-----------------+-------+--------+--------+