Wachtmeister (master-sentinel; watch-master) was a German, Austrian an Swiss military rank of non-commissioned officers. It was also adopted into Russian Army vakhmistr (ва́хмистр) and was used as Sergeant-grade rank in cavalry (until 1826), then Special Corps of Gendarmes and Cossack cavalry and Cossack Leib Guard units. Also, the Polish army used the rank Wachmistrz as a cavalry-specific title for Sergeant. This was similar to calling cavalry Captains Rittmeister (Ger.) or Rotmistrz (Pol.).