Headquarters, 1st Battalion, 11th Regiment, U.S.M.C.
Leon, Nicaragua 22 June 1927.

 
 
From: First Lieutenant Merton A. Richal, U.S.M.C.
To: The Commanding Officer.
 
Subject: Report of patrol to Valle de los Zapatas.
 
1.           In compliance with orders dated 19 June 1927, the undersigned conducted a patrol of seven men to the town of Valle de los Zapatas to investigate depredations and burnings in that place and the following report is submitted:-
 
ITINERARY
     Left Leon 5:00 a.m., 20 June; arrived San Jacinto 10:45 a.m.; left San Jacinto 1:00 p.m.; arrived Apanti 2:20 p.m.; left Apanti 2:30 p.m.; arrived Valle de los Zapatas 4:45 p.m., 20 June.
     Left Valle de los Zapatas 7:15 a.m., 21 June; arrived Rota 10:15 a.m.; left Rota 10:30 a.m.; arrived Laceibita 12:30 p.m.; left Laceibita 2:30 p.m.; arrived Leon 5:15 p.m.
 
CONDITION OF COUNTRY AND ROADS
     All cleared fields appear to be under cultivation, the most common crop being corn, and many natives were working in the fields.
     Numerous herds of cattle and many horses and mules were seen grazing in pastures. The country for about twelve miles from Leon is extensively cultivated. From there to Apanti the country is heavily wooded and wild. There is a cultivated region around Apanti for a radius of about one mile and then wilderness until the vicinity of Valle de los Zapatas is reached where there are more cultivated fields and pastures.
     The road from Leon to San Jacinto is passable for bull carts, there being no steep grades. The main obstacles encountered were mud holes. From San Jacinto to Apanti the route traveled was only a trail, extremely steep and rocky and absolutely impassable for bull carts. The guide said there was a bull cart road between the two places but that it was worse for horses than the one we used. From Apanti to Valle de los Zapatas the road was fairly level and passable for bull carts but had many mud holes and was very slippery due to the nature of the clay soil. The route of the return trip to Leon was over a road passable for bull carts. There were a few steep grades and many mud holes but was the main route north from Leon.
 
VILLAGES ENROUTE
     Apanti, about twenty miles from Leon, is a collection of about six or seven houses and no stores. The leading citizen or Commandante is Timoteo Flori. [ p. 2 ]
     Valle de los Zapatas is a one street village of about twenty houses, 150 population, one church and an abandoned store. The leading citizen or Alcalde is Prudensio Silbar.
 
REPORTS OF DEPREDATIONS AND BANDITS.
     There were no signs or reports of bandits enroute to Valle de los Zapatas but in that place six houses had been burned, the store apparently looted and the owner either driven away or had left of his own volition. No one in the town had been killed by bandits.
     The names of the owners of the burned houses are Rebeca Novoa (conservative), Matias Silba (conservative), Francisco Gonzalez (conservative), Estebana Pichardo (liberal), Domingo Norvais (conservative).
     Francisco Gonzalez was interviewed and stated that there were no bandits in the town at the present time but that some had come in yesterday and the day before (June 19th and 18th). He did not know how many there were as they came in the night and did not come hear his house. He did not actually see them and did not know where they came from or went to.
     Jesus Hando was interviewed and said that bandits had come into the town about two weeks ago and burned the six houses. They also went to several other houses and inquired for a certain man who was not known. He also said that three bandits had come into town yesterday (June 19th). He did not see any of the bandits himself and did not know where they came from or went to. He said no-one in the town knew who the bandits were. (It is believed that the bandits reported as having come into the town on June 19th were the native police enroute to El Sauce.)
     Maria Louisa Gonzalez was interviewed and said that about 11:00 p.m., June 17th, four bandits armed with two pistols and one rifle came to her house, threatened her and forced her to give them food. She said that she recognized one of the bandits as Bentura Caballero, living in Posoltega.
     No further information about the bandits could be obtained. The inhabitants of Valle de los Zapatas seemed a little cautious about giving information but were very friendly and not at all sullen. They said they wanted marine protection and expected the bandits to come back any day after the marine patrol left.
 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - M. A. Richal - - - 23 June 1927 - - - - -
 

NA127/209/1