SECOND BRIGADE MARINE CORPS
MANAGUA, NICARAGUA
12 FEBRUARY, 1929

B-2 REPORT:
 
/ p. 2 / ... Letter fr. Jefe Politico, Jinotega containing statement made by Rogelio R. Mangas, deserter fr. Sandino. ...
 
/ p. 5 / ... Following is the substance of the information furnished by a deserter from Altamirano's force who had been with Sandino and his force for almost a year.

"Altamirano had 50 men, all but 10 of them armed, and 1 Lewis gun. Equipment of Sandinistas consists of:
 
ARMS. --

2 Browning auto. rifles.

2 Lewis machine guns.

1 Thompson sub-machine gun.

All except about 50 bandits are armed with rifles. Others are machete men.

Plenty of pistols and pistol ammunition secured from Honduras.

Rifle ammunition scarce -- 5 to 50 rounds per man.

Has more ammunition for machine guns than for anything else.

This is greatest number of arms informant has ever seen and was at time of concentration in La Luz near Oconguas in the last days of December, 1928.

No hidden supply of ammunition.

CLOTHES. --

Men poorly clad and depend upon raids to provide clothes.

FOOD. --

Scarce and consists mostly of tortillas and fresh meat. At one time lived on corn for an entire month. Many men were sick then but Sandino has not been sick. No chickens. ...

 / p. 7 / ... The following information relative to operations and tactics of bandits was furnished by a deserter from Altamirano's band, who has been with Sandino's forces for almost a year:

"Tactics of Sandino:
 
Never remains longer than five days in one place.
 
Constantly on the move, in the Jalapa, Poteca, Fronteras area.
 
Sandino has never been in contact with Marines and usually remains some distance from his main force.

Guardias Civicas are used by Sandino to spy on his chiefs and bring him information.
 
Sandino sleeps in houses when possible, but at a point distant and usually below his main body.
 
Never travels with more than fifty men.
 
Never enters towns.
 
Never disguises himself.
 
Seldom sees his wife. Never has more than one woman at a time and is very kind to women, and punishes with death any follower who assaults a woman.
 
Sandino wears boots, dark green breeches and wool shirt of same color, Stetson hat and a .44 Special revolver with wooden grips.
 
He kills conservatives and pretends to like Moncada.
 
Calls all of Nueva Segovia "El Chupon" and is usually in the vicinity of a place called "La Luz."
 
Never pays his followers but arms them and endeavors to send them on missions where they can secure loot.
 
All of his jefes discussed advisability of quitting. Sandino said he would take them all out with him by boat when the time comes for quitting.
 
Sandino never intended going to East Coast. / p. 8 /
 
Sandino said he would never go back to Chipote.
 
Sandino told all groups to quit using horses because Aviation was enabled to spot them easily and horses could not be gotten thru brush quickly.
 
On ordinary marches and when Marines are known to be at some distance bandits march in single file well closed up and cross open spaces on the double. When in presence of Marines they march with about 2 spaces between men. Usually travel with two men as point, then at 100 yards distance comes chief with staff, and then at 100 yards follows the main body. When Marines are near a shot is fired to give the alarm.
 
Patrols start on day's march at about five and never later than seven in the morning. Camp about 2:00 p.m. Camps are temporary structures built on side of hills near top with sentries on top of hill.
 
Sandino camps in valley in extremely dense woods where it is never very light and where it is dark by 4:00 p.m. Occasionally camp in caves.
 
Patrols travel by day or on moonlight nights. Seldom move on dark nights or when it is raining.
 
Sandino dislikes dogs and does not use them for guards.
 
Patrols when leaving a trail leave it individually at different points and re-route at some point on the new trail. They are very much afraid of planes and scatter when planes approach. Always try to find a big tree to get under.
 
Dynamite is plentiful.
 
All handbills were received. Many would quite if properly informed of treatment to be accorded them. They were told not to believe the handbills.
 
Altamirano and Diaz will never quit.
 
Sandino has recently been talking of quitting. If he quits he will go to Mexico or Colombia where he is getting most of his help. May turn in arms in some other country but never here.
 
His secretary at present is A. Marti [Augustin Faribundo Marti], a Salvadoran.
 
No white men now with him." ...
/ p. 9 / ... Rogelio Mangas deserted Altamirano's band on 15 January and surrendered to the Jefe Politico in Jinotega. ...
 
 
 [ Summary assessment of the last two weeks' intelligence by Major Hans Schmidt: ]
 
/ p. 9 / ... Altamirano and his followers will, I believe, hold out in banditry longer than any of the other groups. ... / p. 12 / ... The efforts of those concerned in the Jinotega-Matagalpa area should be directed towards eliminating Altamirano. Altamirano is, and always has been a real criminal and he should receive our serious consideration at all times. Personally I believe him to be more dangerous to the establishment of a complete peace in Nicaragua than any other single leader. A great many bandits may be expected to quit if Sandino does, but Altamirano will most surely stay in the field until he is captured or killed. ...

H. SCHMIDT
Major, USMC
B-2 ...

RG127/43A/4
Rogelio Mangas listed in Notebook Captured by Edson from Abraham Rivera, EDSN28.08.19