HEADQUARTERS, NORTHERN AREA,
OCOTAL, NICARAGUA.
28 March, 1929.
INTELLIGENCE MEMORANDUM:
LA FLOR
March 26, 1929.
Memo: Area Commander, Northern Area.
1. "The following information was given by Mrs.
(Blank) and substantiated by her husband. Mr.
(Blank) has a finca about (blank) miles S.E.
from La Flor [Jinotega].
2. "That Altamirano's band at the time he camped
at (Blank's) finca on or about March 11, 1929,
consisted of about 40 Bandidos, 35 of whom were
armed with rifles, 7 with cutachas; that he had
one Lewis machine gun and one sub-Thompson; the
men did not have very much ammunition for the
rifles and that they had perhaps several hundred
rounds for the machine guns.
"That Pedron had about 15 Indians, who were not
armed, but who carried all the baggage. That
Altamirano camped at the finca for about 24
hours waiting for (Blank) to make an appearance
as Pedron wanted to kill (Blank). That no
mention was made about Sandino and that they,
Altamirano's men, were not looking for
armistice, but want to fight the Marines,
Guardia, and Voluntarios.
"The following are the men with Altamirano, whom
Mrs. (Blank) knew and which was substantiated by
(Blank):
--- FROM ---
1. Santos Vasquez, Jefe Guapinol Area
2. Pedro Herrera
" " " "
3. Gregorio Manzanares " " " "
4. Tomas Rodriguez
Las Cuchillas Area
5. Panfilo Gutierrez " " " "
6. Jose Rizo
A spy who enters Jinotega occasionally
7. Damas Rodriguez
Las Cuchillas Area
8. Carmelo Gutierrez " " " "
9. Sebastian Montenegro " " " "
10. Nicolas Garcia
Boca de Cua Area
11. Cornelio Garcia " " " "
12. Calixto Hernandez, Lieut.
San Potreros Area
13. Leocardio Garcia " " " "
14. Reyes Romero " " " "
15. Jose Romero
Jinotega Area
16. Calixto Guillen " " " "
17. Catalino Guillen " " " "
18. Matias Romero " " " "
19. Carmelo Garcia
" " " "
20. Adan Rizo
" " " "
21. Sixto Gutierrez La Pita Area
22. Basilio Contreras A spy for La Pita and Jinotega area.
23. Florencio Cornejo
La Pavona area
24. Guillermo Rivera
La Pavona area
25. Jose Rivera " " " "
26. Elijio Centeno
Indefinite
27. Filadelfia Rivera
" "
"The
rest they did not know with the exception that
Mrs. (Blank) often heard them calling Filadelfia
Gomez -- Note: (Was in Sandino's immediate
Guard) and Sebastian Centeno.
"Three quarters of the above men were known to
(Blank) who states they are Altamirano's
bandidos. (Bland) also states that a Mrs. Senora
Fibersia Garcia [Tiburcia Garcia] who lives near
San Potreros is an Altamirano spy and that
Altamirano often passes at her place when
crossing the Coco River.
"Mr. and Mrs. (Blank) also stated that the above
woman had come alone at their finca about 20
days ago and had stopped for a few hours and
then left.
"From (Blank) and from other sources it is to be
noted that Altamirano does not use any of the
trails except at impassable localities. Pedron
cuts thru the mountains and brush.
"(Blank) further states that Altamirano uses the
following areas when crossing the Coco:
(a) La Pavona-Cuchillas-Los Cedros-Pantasma
Valley -- crossing Coco near Piedras thence
toward Wana.
(b) La Pavona-Cuchillas-Los Cedros-Bilan-Los
Torres-Potreros to Coco or from Potreros to Rio
Cua about 4 miles East of Boca de Cua, (Marines
call place Alligator Pond, where Capt. Hall had
contact some time back.) North to Gualacario
where he crosses Coco.
"Mr. and Mrs. (Blank) were afraid to give the
names of the bandits and only after promising
them that it would never be known except by
myself, Gen. Escamilla and Headquarters, Ocotal
and that no other persons would ever know did
they consent to do so.
"It is thought that the above information may be
of value to patrols operating in the area around
Pena Blanca.
"(Blank) also stated that Rosendo Zelaya, who
owns a finca at La Flor, had taken in this area,
large numbers of beef. (16 alone from (Blank).)
Large quantities of dulce, coffee, etc., and
money for Sandino's cause about a year ago. And
that Zelaya is a strong supporter of Sandino.
Rosendo Zelaya is now in Jinotega.
"That Mrs. Zelaya had found a bandolier of
ammunition on the trail near La Flor and had
sent it to Sandino. (About a year ago.)
"Altamirano told Mrs. (Blank) that if she told
the Marines that he Altamirano had been and
camped at her finca, he would return and cut her
head off."
/s/
HANNEKEN
/s/ L. B. REAGAN
Captain, U.S. Marine Corps,
R -- 2
M29.03.28. RG127/209/1
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