T R A N
S C R I P
T I O N
San Albino, Nic.
19 February 1928.
Dear Colonel Dunlap,
I am enclosing a patrol report of Lt. Chark which I
believe is very complete, and which may
contain information of the movement of
bandit groups in the northern area which
have not heretofor been reported. Clark
was unfortunate in missing Maradiaga by
about three hours, but we hope for
better luck next time. I believe that
Clark's dope that our Quilali attachment
is hampering Sandino's communication is
correct, and should be taken into
consideration before any shift of the
Quilali detachment is decided upon. I
have visited Jicaro and have found
conditions satisfactory. Lt. Waterman
did a god job of getting seven (7) of
the Torres band (about 8 miles north of
Jicaro) on February 12th. There are
fifteen left in this band. When the
Apali flying field is finished I plan to
operate with Captain Shaw and part of
his detachment, out of Apali south
toward Barrial and San Juan (between
Telpaneca and Quilali). I do not know
what Lt. Kenyon is doing as I am not in
direct communication with him, and he
has furnished me with no information. I
have to-day requested that the radio
which arrived via bull train this am for
further transfer to Quilali be retained
at [ p. 2 ] San Albino until the San
Albino radio can be put into commission.
Messages have no to be sent to Jicaro
for transmission to Ocotal. This
requires the sending of four men over
the San Albino - Jicaro trail daily, a
distance of ten miles for the round
trip. I do not care to send less than
four men on this duty, for two or three
days ago the detail while returning from
Jicaro was fired upon by a single
sniper, from the edge of a woods, above,
and about 600 yards from the trail. I
have heard indirectly that Capt. Shaw
expects to have the Apali flying field
in condition for landing a light plane
by February 22nd. This field will mean
an uninterrupted line of supply to San
Albino during the rainy season. I have
been informed that Bull Carts can get
through from Apali to San Albino at all
seasons. I have changed my opinion
regarding the health conditions at San
Albino. The billets where the men are
quartered are all on high ground and
well drained. They are constructed of
mud with corrugated iron roofs, dirt
floors, and have an average capacity of
about 6 to 8 men. The water supply is
abundant and pure. The camp is piped and
there are excellent bathing facilities.
San Albino in my opinion, is healthier
than Jicaro (not well drained) and
[----y] [ p. 3 ] of the towns I have
seen in Nicaragua where Marines are
stationed. However, next in importance
to building up a ration dump at San
Albino, so far as the health of the men
stationed here is concerned, is the
necessity for canvas cots and mosquito
nets. The men now sleep on the dirt
floor of the billets, or on improvised
plank bunks that they have constructed.
A few swing in hammocks, all men
originally had mosquito nets, but very
few have them now. Any outfit that
spends the rainy season in billets in
this area without canvas cots and nets
in my opinion will have 75%
incapacitated by malaria. The doctors
have worked very hard here, and with the
facilities available have secured
remarkable results. There is a building
about 600 yards from the edge of camp
that was occupied by the mine
superintendent and which could be turned
into a hospital of about 40 to 50 bed
capacity. The present hospital building
will be too small in the rainy season
when the malaria cases come in. The
morale of the enlisted personnel of the
San Albino outfit is not too good, but I
believe I am building it up. I have
nothing further to [ p. 4 ] report at
this writing. Trusting that you are good
health and with kindest regards to Major
Rossel and the members of your staff, I
am
Very respectfully yours
/s/ John A. Gray
127/220/6
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