By the eighteenth century, pole arms were rarely used as weapons. They were, however, still carried by sergeants and officers as symbols of their rank. Sergeants carried what was known as a halberd, while officers bore a spontoon (see illustration 13). No officer or sergeant was permitted to appear on duty without his pole arm. Some sentries also carried what was known as a partisan. Regulations for all these poles called for the wooden section to be seven feet six inches (230 centimetres) long.
The iron tips pictured here were found at Louisbourg by archaeologists. From the left, they are from a halberd or partisan, a British officer's spontoon, and a French spontoon. The small item is the piece of iron used at the bottom of all poles.
Courtesy: Parks Canada, National Film Board of Canada
