Sergeant major
The rank originated from the older rank of sergeant major general (French: "sergent-major général"). Sergeant major general was third in command in an army, after the general and the lieutenant general. One of his tasks was to dispose the troops on the battlefield. It was also known in the French army as the "battle sergeant" (fr: "sergent de bataille"). In English-speaking countries, the rank of sergeant major general became known as simply major general.