Jinotega, Nicaragua.
24 April 1929.

From:     The Commanding Officer
To:       B-2, Second Brigade Marines, Managua, Nicaragua.
          District Commander, Matagalpa, Nicaragua.
          R-2, Fifth Regiment
 
Subject:  Information of recent bandit movements.
 
1.   Felipe Zelaya, Mandador of La Union finca, property of Josefa Pineda Castellon located S.W. of Colonia and Santa Isabel, near the Rio Tuma, states that he was captured by a group of about 20 bandits led by Cornejo [Lieutenant Florencio Cornejo] at Union Finca about 1830 April 10th, 1929 and taken to San Lucas Finca, about one kilometer to the south where they came upon Altamirano and about 10 men. He was then confined for the night but early the next morning, the 11th, he saw about 100 men assembled at San Lucas. These were divided into four companies, three of which were armed with rifles and pistols, while the fourth carried the provisions, machetes and ropes. The band separated and proceeded north, avoiding trails and keeping on high ground. The armed groups were led by Altamirano, Sebastian Centeno, Cornejo [Florencio Cornejo], one group had a Lewis gun and each of the others a Thompson. Altamirano himself carried the Thompson also two Colt 38's and a dagger. He, Zelaya, was held with Altamirano group which consisted of about 12 men. Zelaya states they passed between La Colonia and Pena Blanca and camped in the forest near Las Cuchillas on the night of Apr. 11-12 and he was released the morning of the 12th. The conversation among the men was to the effect that they intended joining with Sandino and that they would continue as bandits while American forces were in Nicaragua. Zelaya states that when airplanes came over on the 11th they halted and remained motionless, while several of the band played guitars and sang songs. During the time he was with them, the bandits avoided all houses, clearings and trails.
 
2.   Maria Siles, widow of Emilio Siles, who was killed on the morning of April 14, 1929, near his home at Las Cruces, states that Altamirano with a force of bandits had visited their home on 31 Jan, 29, taken clothing and captured her husband and kept him prisoner for two (2) days but had released him after inquiring as to whether he was a spy for Moncada. He came again about Mar. 10, but her husband was not home. On the morning of April 14th, a band came to their house and took their clothing, blankets and about $80.00 in cash. They also said her husband was a spy and took him, her two (2) sons Isais and Sylvester and a laborer, Salinas as prisoners.
 
3.   Isais Siles states he was taken prisoner by a band headed by Sebastian Centeno at about 0700 April 14, 1929 at Las Cruces and released early on the morning of 15 April near Paso Real, Altamirano was not with this band during this time. Centeno led the band which was divided into three (3) groups one of which was led by a man named / p. 2 / Rodriguez, all were armed with rifles and nearly all had pistols. Centeno's group led and one man in this group carried a Lewis Machine Gun, the other two groups each had a Thompson which was carried by a man about the center of the group. They marched in pairs with about 50 meters or more between groups. Siles states he could not see whether any men were ahead of the column as a point but he felt sure they had no one on the flanks. They marched on high ground and avoided trails and clearings. On the night of 14-15 April they camped in the forest, the force divided into five (5) groups, Centeno with one group of about ten (10) bandits and the prisoners occupied the center. Each group put out one (1) sentry who was relieved every hour.
 
4.   Sylvester Siles states substantially the same as his brother, except he estimates about eighty (80) bandits instead of fifty (50). He and his father were turned over to the leader of the rear group and after proceeding about 1000 meters from their home Centeno gave a paper to the leader of this group. He, the leader whose name is not known detailed two (2) men from the group to take his father out of the column and kill him. The column was not halted. The two men took his father off the trail and killed him with machetes. He also stated that two men followed the column far to the rear.
 
5.   Lieut. Hamas, G.N. stated that while en route from Santa Cruz to Jinotega, a farmer about five miles south of Guali told him that about fifty (50) bandits had passed north on the hills west of Sta Maria Valley on April 17th. On the same day, the 17th, a native reported to him, Lt. Hamas at Sta Cruz that about fifteen (15) bandits crossed the Coco River that evening, near Las Piedras, headed north.
 
6.   No definite information has been received as to where Altamirano himself went after 12 April.

/s/ A. E. Simon

M29.04.24. RG127/43A/24.
Excerpt in IR29.05.13, NA127/209/1

Anastasio Somoza García, El verdadero Sandino, o el calvario de las Segovias (Managua: Robelo, 1936), pp. 130-31.