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Statement of native held prisoner by Pedr?n for 15 days

     Produced on the same day as the foregoing report, this report from Captain Hanneken shows the other main zone of rebel activity during Sandino's journey to Mexico:  the wilds of Jinotega north and east of the coffee district.  Hanneken's deductions were accurate:  Sandino had appointed General Pedro Altamirano the principal jefe in his absence.  Also of interest are the descriptions of the rebels' organizational hierarchy; their armaments, material resources, and camp life; and Pedr?n's infected knee (he walked everywhere, so an infected knee must have really hampered his operations;  detail of photograph of Sandinista rebels in the Segovian jungles, n.d., USNA1)

 


 ... Set forth below is a report submitted by Captain Hanneken, G.N. July 17th:
 
The following information has been obtained from a native, who stated that he has been held as a prisoner by Pedro Altamirano [Pedron] for about 15 days; he escaped on or about July 4th, near Los Cedros:  That Pedro Altamirano, Pedro Irias, [Pedro Antonio Irias], Pancho Estrada [Francisco Estrada], with about 80 followers are operating together and are believed to have their camp at present near Guapinol. (Somewhere between Guapinol and the Pantasma Valley).  Altamirano is "The Jefe" with Estrada as "Chief of Staff" and Irias as "Segundo Jefe" with them.
 
Altamirano is very sick, suffering with an infected knee, which is said to have swollen considerably and which in addition has caused him to have fever occasionally.  This band has one (1) Lewis Machine Gun, two (2) Brownings, and two (2) Sub-Thompsons.  That practically all members of their band have around one hundred (100) pesos (dollars); and that Altamirano has his women in his camp. There is a typewriter being used in their camp.  That this outfit had ambush laid for the Marine-Volunteer patrol on July 3rd, on the trail between Los Cedros and Guali, as they thought we were coming that way.  (My patrol was camped at Guali on Juy 2nd and left there on the 3rd).  This man escaped from the bandits at this time.  My own deductions are that:  Altamirano has been appointed by Sandino or by the other Jefes as the "Leader" in Sandino's absence.  That Sandino has told them that he is going to return. ...

IR29.07.27: 3-4.  RG127/201/1

 

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