| pioneers.

| pioneers.
_______________|_______|_______|_______|________|___________|____________ Saragossa, | 86 | 1189 | 90 | 1276 | 1275 | 1360 Rosas, | 21 | 211 | -- | -- | 232 | 461 Girona, | 54 | 603 | 62 | 1299 | 657 | 1361 Astorga, | 7 | 91 | 17 | 427 | 98 | 444 Lerida, | 15 | 316 | 11 | 208 | 331 | 219 Meguinenza, | 31 | 278 | -- | -- | 312 | 136 1st Ciudad | | | | | | Rodrigo, | 34 | 441 | -- | -- | 475 | 1019 Almeida, | 34 | 489 | -- | -- | 523 | 1019 Tortosa, | 43 | 429 | 32 | 381 | 472 | 413 Tarragona, | 50 | 681 | 46 | 701 | 731 | 747 Olivensa, | 10 | 106 | -- | -- | 116 | 186 1st Badajos, | 25 | 707 | 41 | 699 | 732 | 740 Tarifa, | 12 | 235 | 17 | 148 | 247 | 165 Peniscola, | 13 | 138 | 9 | 183 | 151 | 192 2d Ciudad | | | | | | Rodrigo, | 3 | 12 | 8 | 160 | 15 | 168 2d Badajos, | 9 | 256 | -- | -- | 265 | 268 Burgos, | 4 | 124 | 3 | 126 | 128 | 129 Castio Udiales, | 5 | 68 | 8 | 197 | 73 | 205 St.Sebastian, | 13 | 248 | 7 | 166 | 261 | 173 ________________|_______|_______|_______|________|___________|____________ From this table it appears that the ratio of the two arms at these sieges, making the comparison on the basis of our own organization, is about the same as for the present French army in Algeria, or a little more than five of engineers to six of artillery.
Thus far we have spoken of the field-operations of engineer troops in connection with fortifications, alluding only incidentally to the use of military bridges and the passage of rivers.

In the early wars of the French Revolution the want of pontoniers was severely felt, and from the deficiency of this branch of service, the operations of the French generals were on several occasions very much restricted.

The evil was afterwards remedied in a great degree by the introduction of several battalions of ponioniers in the regular army organization.

On many occasions, during his wars, did Napoleon feel and acknowledge the importance of these troops; but on none, perhaps, was this importance more clearly shown than in the passage of the Beresina during his retreat from Moscow with the wreck of his army.