[1] Although he did not graduate as a student at the Escuela Militar del Libertador Bernardo O'Higgins [es], his culture and illustration allowed him to get promotions in his career.

Under the command of General Juan Vidaurre-Leal he went to Coquimbo and fought in Petorca and besieged La Serena where he got wounded in the latter which got him promoted to Captain.

Under the orders of Vidaurre-Leal, he fought in the battle of Los Loros in 1859 and later in Cerro Grande, against the improvised army of Pedro León Gallo Goyenechea.

He served as proprietary deputy for Castro, Chile from 1870 to 1873, and was a member of the Permanent War and Navy Commission.

[1] In 1872 he traveled to Europe as head of the Military Commission in order to buy weapons, at which time he also took the opportunity to study and perfect himself.

The result of the trip was the purchase of 12,000 Comblain II rifles that were the regular weapon of the army during the War of the Pacific .