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

 

 

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SUBJECT:          Report of patrol made by 2nd Platoon, 47th Company,

                           11th Regiment, through area northeast Matagalpa.

 

ROUTE:              The patrol left A. Mort's place at 2.30 P.M. 18/2/28

                            and arrived at Corinto at 12.30 P.M. 20/2/28 via

                            Cuatro Esquinas Oriental, COYOLAR and LA TRAMPA.

 

                            The patrol left CORINTO at 2:30 p.m. 20 February 1928 and arrived at MATAGALPA at 1:30 p.m. 22 February, 1928 via LA DATANLI, LA SULTANA and LA FUNDADORA.  The condition of roads traveled was as follows:  CUATRO ESQUINAS to CORINTO, poor, muddy, mountain pack trail; CORINTO to LA SULTANA, good, dry pack trail; LA SULTANA to LA FUNDADORA muddy mountain pack trail; LA FUNDADORA to MATAGALPA, good bull cart road.  Trails high in the mountains are apparently muddy the year around.

 

INFORMATION OF ENEMY:

                           Several of the natives questioned along the trail from ORIENTAL to TRAMPA on 19 February 1928 gave the information that Sandino left CORINTO on 15 February 1928 on the LA VIRGEN trail headed north towards CUCHILLAS, and estimated his strength at about four hundred men.

 

                          Simon Cantarero, manager of the Corinto Finca, stated that Sandino with his forces left CORINTO 15 February 1928 and was last seen on the LA VIRGEN trail going north towards CUCHILLAS.  He stated Sandino had three hundred men armed with Mexican rifles and one hundred rounds of ammunition per man, and two cargo mules carrying ammunition.  I believe this man maybe a Sandinista.

 

                        Five miles southeast of CORINTO one Luciano Rosales came to us with the information that sixty or seventy men gather at PASS REAL each night and disperse in the morning.  He had not seen them.  He further stated that Paulino Lopez living nearby is the propagandist and agent of Sandino.  Lopez and his house were investigated by a patrol sent out at daylight 21 February 1928.  No information was obtained. 

 

                       At LA FUNDADORA we were informed that four out of about twenty who went with Sandino from that finca on 8 Feb. 1928 had returned to the finca.  At daylight 22 Feb. 1928 two of these men, Anastacio Rugaena [Anastasio Rugama] and Enlovio Carnijs [Eudovio Cornejo] were captured, questioned separately, and finally gave stories coinciding as follows:  "They left LA FUNDADORA with Sandino 8 Feb. 1928 with the promise of mules, rifles and an easy life.  They deserted Sandino at SANTA ELENA one full days march north of LAS CUCHILLAS on 17 Feb. 1928 because none of the above promises were fulfilled.  Sandino's men  [ p. 2 ]  were saying they were going to the Atlantic coast via the route taken by Moncado [José María Moncada] in coming west from PUERTO CABEZA [Puerto Cabezas] during the revolution.  Sandino had with him about four hundred men of whom over half were equipped with rifle and ammunition.  The others carried machete.  He had one heavy machine gun and one cargo mule loaded with ammunition for that gun.  No airplanes were seen at SANTA ELENA."  The prisoners were taken to Matagalpa for further questioning.

 

                      Mr. Frankel, manager of LA FUNDADORA stated that while there, Sandino had one Thompson sub machine gun and one light browning in his personal guard and that instead of using one of the bedrooms Sandino slept on the proch [porch] stating that he would not trust his men.  Mr. Frankel further stated that the Jejes [Jefes] Nasitays, Solgado, Giran, and Lobs [--?--, Salgado, Giron, Lobo]  were with Sandino at LA FUNDADORA.

 

                     I believe that the mozos in the area through which Sandino passed do not fear him and that his speeches have been partly successful in earning many to fear and even hate marines.

 

AIR COMMUNICATION

 

                     No planes were seen on the 19th or 20th but we were informed that planes passed over CORINTO one half hour before we reached there on the 20th.  Rain channels in the mountains near TRAMA [La Trampa] would often prevent air observation of those trails.  On the 21 Feb. 1928 pannels [panels] were laid in an open space six miles north of LA SULTANA for one hour during which time a plane twice passed to the east of us apparently scouting the trail through the mountains there, and failing to sight our patrol on the lower trail.

 

RATIONS

 

                    The patrol started with rations for two days and returned with rations for one day.

 

                    Coffe [coffee], tortillios [tortillas], beans, cheese and bananas can be obtained in large quantities at the larger haciends [haciendas] throughout this area.

 

                                                                               W. W. ORR

                                                                                1st LT. USMC

 

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55th Company   11th Regiment,     JINOTEGA,Nicaragua.

 

2 February 1928.

 

 

     PATROL REPORT NO. 7   

 

55th Company patrol No.7,consisting of 36 enlisted men,2nd Lieut: Prentice A. Shiebler commanding left Jinotega at 0500 February 19,1928, to make contact with a bandit group reported to be in the vicinity of Montegrande

               This patrol made camp on a river about 12 miles to the southeast of JINOTEGA and Monte Grande area,natives in that area reported that Ferrero [Miguel Angel Ortez] and Santa Maria [Santa María Sevilla] with about 50 bandits had been around that area since they left TRINIDAD,and were about to move to the southeast towardsNaranjo but some of them were still in TAMBORINDO [Tamarindo].

               This patrol left camp at daylight on the morning of February 20th and proceeded towards TAMBORINDO which was about five miles down the river from our camp.  At every house along the trail the natives,mostly women were frightened and all stated that some of the bandits had just passed by about an hour ahead of us. As we arrived at TAMBORINDO I noticed about 6 horses outside of one house and started towards it.Suddenly two men were seen running from us and at the same time four mounted men dashed across the river and started off on the trail south.One of these turned in his saddle and fired at us.One of the others was noticed to have a rifle slung across his back.This patrol opened fire and expended about 10 rounds of ammunition.Two squads were sent in pursuit,and further on in the bush   two of the horses were found.The saddle of one was cut as if by a man's spur as he fell off to one side.There were marks on the ground which would have been made by a body being dragged away. A hat and a bag containing tortillas were also found. It is believed that two men were hit by our fire so as to cause them to fall from their mounts and were subsequently carried away bytheir comrades

               A careful search was made for some time but no further evidence could be found. Shortly afterwards Captain Hall's patrol was signted,and he had with him the Chief of Police of TRINIDAD [Carmen Vílchez], this man recognized one of the captured horses as his own property which had been stolen by the bandits when they were in TRINIDAD.  Captain Hall had a mounted patrol with him so he took up the pursuit of the bandits after they had scattered into the brush.This patrol then returned to JINOTEGA,and arrived at 1230 21 Feb 28.  The terrain in the above vicinity is very hilly,and well covered with brush, affording excellent opportuinity for concealment.Before leaving this patrol was assured by the natives that the bandits had all fled to the south and southeast.

 

                                                                          / s /  Prentice A.Shiebler.

                                                                                         Lieut:U.S.M.C.

 

 

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DIVISION OF NUEVA SEGOVIA

OCOTAL, NICARAGUA.

23 February 1928.

 

From:          Lieut. D. E. Wells, G.N.

To    :          The Jefe Director.

 

Via   :          Official Channels.

 

Subject:       Patrol, report of.

 

     1.     A patrol consisting of Lieut Wells and ten Guardias enlisted cleared Ocotal 22 February at 0800 for Telpaneca for the purpose of changing personnel between the two posts.  Patrol arrived at Telpaneca at 1445.  On the morning of 23 February Cadet Smith, G.N. turned over two native prisoners to me for transfer to Ocotal - Martin Gardenes [Martín Cárdenas] and Santos Hernendez [Santos Hernández].  They aere [were] two known bandits and murderers; having operated in the vicinity of Telpaneca under the leadership of Anastacio Hernandez.  The patrol cleared Telpaneca at 0755 with the two prisoners. About five miles from that place they began to walk slower and apparently aere [were] not able to keep up with the patrol. The native guide said they were in their own territory and had many friends living in the vicinity. About a mile farther on they both made a dash for a ravine about 150 yards down the mountain.  As the underbrush was very thick and it it was practically impossible to capture them, the Guardias fired upon them and killed one of them about 25 yards from the trail and the other about 100 yards farther down the mountain.  The patrol arrived at Ocotal at 1530.

 

                                                                               / s /  D. E. WELLS

 

 

DIVISION HEADQUARTERS, NUEVA SEGOVIA, GUARDIA NACIONAL,

OCOTAL, NICARAGUA.

 

23 February 1928.

 

     Yo Modesto Z. Morales Raso de la Guardia Nacional declaro que hoy veniamos de Telpaneca, en direccion del Ocotal, como a seis millas de Telpaneca, los prisioneros que traiamos eran dos, y que al llegar a un Ocotal, lugar algo plano y una evasion, ellos que venian delante de me como a una distancia diez varas, talvez mas, intentaron evadirse, dejandose ir en una canada montosa muy conocida de ellow, y cubierta de monte bastante alto; entonces yo que venia encargado de su custodia, tuve necessidad de disparar sobre ellow para evitar su escape, matandolos.

 

                                                   / s /  Modesto Z. Morales

                                                              Raso, G.N.

 

 

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