General Order of the 20th to the 21st of Feby. 1847

Genl. Officer of the Day Don Raphael Vasquez

Aids Col. Jose[?] M. Bermudes[?]

Lt. Col. Don Florencio Asputia[?]

and for tomorrow. Don Francisco Mejin[?], Genl. Off. of the Day.

Col. Don Carlos Brito & Lt. Col. Don ______ Elate, aids.

In the morning the army will continue its march, which will commence at 11. o’clock, precisely in the following order.

The first, 2d, 3d, & 4th battalions of Light Infantry will take the lead under the orders of Genl. Ampudia, so that he may be able to avail himself of all advantages that circumstances may require. Immediately after the battalion of Toppers[?], and in its rear and at the head of the Division of Infantry of the van under the orders of Genl. Pecheco will be placed the comp. of sharp shooters and three pieces of 16s with their respective artillerists & reserve as likewise the ammunition, composed of 100 roundshot & 100 Grape for each piece, and 80 boxes of musket ammunition each containing 9,600 cartridges.

Division of Infantry of the centre commanded by Genl. Manuel M. Lombardini will follow, at the head of this column there will be five 12s as above named and ammunitions, and also 80 boxes of musket ammunition.

At the head of the division of the rear commanded by Genl. Ortega, there will be five pieces of 8s supplied with men and ammunition as above, and also 80 boxes of ammunition each containing 9.600 cartridges.

The division of Cavalry of the rear will follow closely on the last of Infantry, having at their head the _______ and in their rear the general ammunition train—escorted by the brigade of Horn[?] Artillery. After the ammunition train all the camp followers of all classes with the baggage of all kinds _________, cooks, &c., it being distinctly understood that no women will be allowed to mix with the column. The Chief in charge of the Compy. Dept. is Don Pedro Ranjel[?] who is also in charge of the baggage train.

His Excellency, the Genl. in Chief, furthermore orders that the different Corps. shall today receive from the Compy. three days’ rations for the 21st, 22nd, & 23d, and that they require the necessary meat this afternoon for the first meal tomorrow morning which the troops are directed to eat one hour before taking up the line of march, and the second will be taken in their haversacks to be eaten in the night wherever they may halt. This last will consist of meat, two biscuits, and half a cake of (Piloncillo) brown sugar for each man, for on the night of the 21st there will be no fires permitted; neither will signal be made by any instrument of music, the movement at early daybreak on the morning of the 22d having to be made in the most profound silence.

The troops will drink all the water they can before marching and will take with them in their canteens or other vessels all they possibly can carry. They will economize the water all they can for we shall encamp at night without water and shall not arrive at it until 12 o’clock on the following day. The Chiefs of Corps will pay much, much, much attention to this last instruction.

Each mule belonging to the ammunition train and the horses of offs. will receive two rations of corn which they will take with them, and there will be fed to them tomorrow night at dusk and on the following morning at daybreak. The horses’ girths will only be slackened and the mules will not be unharnessed while they are eating. The light brigade will likewise obey this order on the night of the 21st only loosening their saddles a little.

The horses & mules will be taken to water before commencing the march. Each Division will take with it its respective medical staff, hospital attendants, medicines, &c. as regulated by the medical Inspector Genl.

The Chaplain in Chief will provide each division with its Chaplain. He will also, as tomorrow is a feast day, order mass to be said at 6 o’clock in front of the position occupied by the vanguard, at 7 o’clock in front of the centre, at 8 o’clock in front of the rear guard, and at 9 o’clock in front of the Division of Cavalry.

Genl. Don Francisco Perez is ordered to be recognized as second in command to Genl. Lombardini, and Genl. Don Luis Guzman as second to Genl. Ortega.

To facilitate the duties of the Conductor Genl. of the baggage train, the Cavalry of Celeza, and all the presidial troops are hereby placed under his command.

His Excellency the Genl. in Chief recommends to every officer punctual compliance with and obedience to each & every part of this his general order.

By order of his Excellency,

Manuel Micheltorena

Chief of the Genl. Staff