 He married Dorotea Rivera Serrano, daughter of Chilean General Juan de Dios Rivera and Freire de Andrade and Galeazzo Maria del Rosario Alfaro Serrano.At the age of 15 years he entered the military academy, graduating with the rank of second lieutenant of infantry in the Chilean Army in the following year.In 1837 he was assigned to Battalion Chillán, where he rose to lieutenant at the age of 17 years.