Header image
PC28.04.09   Putnam

QUICK LINKS TO PREVIOUS & NEXT PC-DOCS

28.04.05 ROBERTS
28.04.05 ROCKEY
28.04.08 HOLMES
28.04.09 PUTNAM
28.04.11 PUTNAM
28.04.11 SNEAD
28.04.15 HATFIELD

28.04.09.   Putnam, Patrol Report, Pueblo Nuevo

P C - D O C S :      P A T R O L   &   C O M B A T    R E P O R T S
thru 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 +

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

T  R  A  N  S  C  R  I  P  T  I  O  N

MARINE DETACHMENT
PUEBLO NUEVO,NIC.
9 APRIL 1928.

From: Second Lieutenant Paul a. Putnam,U.S.M.C.
To: Commanding Officer, Second Battalion, 11th Regiment, Esteli, Nicaragua.
  Patrol Report

     1. A mounted patrol composed of the following named officer and men, 50th Company, 2nd Bn.,11th Regt.,cleared this post at 1900 on 30 March, 1928, and returned at 1615 on 31 March 1928:

2nd Lt. PUTNAM, Paul A.
Sgt. OWEN, John
Pvt. BLAIR, Hugh Jr.
CLARK, Earl M.
CLEMENT, Dennis B.
EDWARDS, John J.
McMASTERS, Murl.
McMASTERS, Robert.
MORRIS, Thomas H.
O'BRYANT, Clyde H.
NA1/c CHIRNSIDE, Lloyd M.

     2.   On leaving Pueblo Nuevo the patrol travelled slightly west of south, passing through Las Palaguas and arriving at Consuelo at 2400, where camp was made. The people at Consuelo were perfectly friendly, cheerfully giving what they had in the way of food and furnishing two fresh horses in place of two exhausted mules. They denied any knowledge of bandits, saying they had not heard of any in those parts.

     3.   The patrol cleared Consuelo at 0700 on 31 March and travelled approximately west, arriving at Colorado at 0930. About three (3) miles out of Colorado the trail of a large number of horses was picked up and followed. At Colorado were two (2) men and a woman. They said General Ferrera with about twenty (20) men had passed at 1o oclock the night before. While the people were being questioned and the house searched the sentry saw and opened fire on a group of seven (7) men, four (4) of them carrying rifles, who came over the crest of a hill and approached the house from the north. Fire was at once taken up by all hands, and one (1) of the group was killed and another was seen to be knocked down but crawled into the brush. Chase was immediately given and one (1) more of the group was killed in brush fighting about a [ p. 2 ] quarter mile from the house. His rifle was retrieved by another who escaped.

     4.   In returning to the house after contact had been lost, the patrol found one group of five (5) horses and two (2) mules and another of two (2) horses and one (1) mule. Seven (7) of the animals were saddled. Both the men who were killed had machettes, and one had a package containing three (3) dynamite caps. In saddle bags on one of the horses were three (3) dynamite bombs.

     5.   The two (2) men found at the house were taken prisoner on suspicion, because of the facts that it was known that they were not the regular residents there and because of their very evident lies in answer to questions.

     6.   At 1200 the patrol cleared Colorado, and arrived at Pueblo Nuevo at 1615 without further incident.

Paul A. Putnam,
Second Lieutenant, U. S. Marine Corps.

127/204/3

Summary & Notes:

   Events took place March 30-31, nine days before this report was submitted.

   Patrol of 10 Marines & 1 Navy (incl. two brothers McMasters) surprise band of 7 men, 4 armed with rifles; kill 2.

   Disastrous encounter for the group of 7 men; their politics unknown, but dynamite bombs suggest EDSN.
   Marines without native guide, or any native; probably none speak Spanish; no Nicaraguans identified by name.
   Warm welcome of Marines at Consuelo:  area southwest of Pueblo Nuevo is ranching country, Consuelo an old ranch in a long-settled area & local property owners seem to be glad of Marine presence.  (Silence:  report doesn't identify them by name; no evident effort to cultivate longer-term alliances).
   Surprise military contact at Colorado:  Marines clear Consuelo and stumble into a herd of horses; follow it to Colorado; stumble into man & woman; interrogate them & search their house; band of 7 armed men stumbles into Marines; firefight, dispersal of band, 2 killed, capture 7 horses & 3 mules (7 saddled).
   Curious: were these 7 men mounted?  It seems so.  But if so, why didn't they just ride away when the Marines started shooting?  If they weren't mounted, why not?  They had at least 10 animals with them (probably more), at least 7 saddled.  Doesn't make much sense as told, unless they were walking alongside their animals, or riding & herding other animals & thus distracted.

   The two prisoners — who were they?  What happened to them?

P C - D O C S :      P A T R O L   &   C O M B A T    R E P O R T S
thru 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 +

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

TOP OF PAGE