The flower of the Peruvian forces marched out of Lima in happy anticipation of battle.

The brilliant ranks were composed of young men in gorgeous uniforms, who sang gaily as they marched on to Chorrillos.

The native troops were the Cholo Indians that who had been driven in from their homes back of the Cordilleras and almost forced to fight.

They marched stolidly through the streets, turning their eyes neither to the right nor to the left, though hundreds of them had never seen a town before.
They were followed by a wild though picturesque rabble of rabona women, carrying great bundles tied on their heads or backs, shrieking and chattering in their native tongue like gariho monkeys.

These women formed the commissary department of the native troops.