The army halted for a few days at Seralvo, where a dépôt was established. The first division resumed the march on the 13th of September, and was followed, on successive days, by the other divisions; the troops being provided with eight days' rations, and forty rounds of ammunition. The advance, consisting of McCulloch's rangers, Captain Graham's dragoons, and a small body of pioneers and engineers, marched early on the 12th. The roads were generally hard and level, but occasionally crossed by a deep gully, which required some preparation to fit it for the passage of artillery. From Papayallos the advance were always in sight of the Mexican pickets, who retired slowly before them. On the 14th, the rangers encountered a body of two hundred cavalry at Ramos. Dashing furiously upon the enemy, they routed them in an instant, and drove them rapidly through the town. They entered Marin, near the San Juan, on the next day,and there found General Torrejon, with 1,000 cavalry, who were drawn up in the principal street, their bright and new escopetas and
tenant Colonel Childs, and 8th infantry, Captain Scrivner, forming the first brigade, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Staniford; and Lieutenant Mackall's battery, 5th infantry, Major M. Scott, 7th infantry, Captain Miles, and Captain Blanchard's company of Louisiana volunteers, forming the second brigade, commanded by Colonel P. F. Smith, of the mounted riflemen; and the third, or volunteer division, under General Butler, consisting of the 1st Kentucky regiment, Colonel Ormsby, and 1st Ohio regiment, Colonel Mitchell, forming the first brigade, commanded by General Hamer; and the 1st Tennessee regiment, Colonel Campbell, and Mississippi regiment, Colonel Davis, forming the second brigade, commanded by General Quitman. The Texas division, consisting of the 1st and 2nd regiments of mounted volunteers, under Colonels Hays and Wood, was commanded by General Henderson, and detached, as occasion required, to co-operate with the other divisions. The artillery consisted of one ten-inch mortar, two twenty-four pounder howitzers, in charge of Captain Webster, with a company of artillery, detached, and four light field batteries of four guns each.
