T R A N
S C R I P
T I O N
HEADQUARTERS
NORTHERN AREA, WESTERN NICARAGUA, U. S.
MARINES,
OCOTAL, NICARAGUA.
16 March, 1928.
From: |
Captain John M. Arthur, Marine
Corps. |
To: |
Commander, Northern Area. |
Subject: |
Patrol Report. |
Reference: |
(a) Field Order No.3, Northern
Area, of 2 March, 1928. |
Enclosures: |
1 |
1.
Pursuant to reference (a), copy attached
hereto, the undersigned organized a
mounted detachment consisting of one
officer and twenty-seven enlisted,
Marine Corps, and one officer (Cadet
Dowdy, Guardia Nacional) and six
enlisted, Guardia Nacional, for the
purpose of participating in the
operation ordered therein. Accompanied
by Colonel Robert H. Dunlap, Marine
Corps, Commanding Northern Area, Western
Nicaragua, my detachment cleared OCOTAL
at 9:50 a.m., on 4 March, for SAN
FERNANDO, arriving at the latter place
at 3:30 p.m., same date, where we camped
for the night.
2. At 8:30 a.m., on 5 March,
the detachment cleared SAN FERNANDO for
TELPANECA, marching via CIUDAD ANTIGUA.
TELPANECA was reached at 3:30 p.m.,
where we remained for the night. The
immediate vicinity of the trail was
investigated, but there were no signs of
bandit activity in this area.
3. The detachment remained
at TELPANECA during the daylight hours
of 6 March, and the men and animals were
given an opportunity to rest after the
arduous trip over difficult mountain
trails on the day previous. Every effort
was made to conceal the proposed night
movement from natives living in
TELPANECA and vicinity, and it is
believed, with success. At 9:15 p.m.,
the detachment was joined by a
detachment from TELPANECA, under
Lieutenant Walraven, consisting of
approximately thirty enlisted Marines
and Guardia, all mounted. The combined
detachments cleared Telpaneca at 9:20
p.m., same night, and marched on SAN
JUAN DE TELPANECA, via PERICON. At 1:30
a.m., 7 March, PERICON was reached and
Lieutenant Walraven with the TELPANECA
detachment, was detached from the column
and ordered to proceed to QUIBUTO for
the purpose of reconnoitering that town
at daylight, with orders to rejoin my
detachment at PORTAL about 9:30 a.m. My
detachment continued on to PORTAL
arriving there at 4:30 a.m., where it
found Captain Blake's column from
CONDEGA camping for the night. Airplane
reports dropped on the afternoon before
stated that Captain Blake's column was
camping for the night at a point about
five miles southwest of SAN JUAN DE
TELPANECA, but it was not believed that
he would be on the road used by us.
However, the men were informed of this
fact, and thanks to the excellent march
discipline of the detachment a serious
accident was avoided, as the point of my
column had [ p. 2 ] worked its way into
the very edge of Captain Blake's camp
and had sentries covered with automatic
weapons before it was discovered that
they were Marines. In connection with
this night movement, I might say that
the march discipline of the men of my
column was excellent - not a word nor a
sound was uttered by any of them, as
they marched mile after mile over the
precipitous and treacherous mountain
trails to be found in that vicinity, and
everything went according to plan.
Movements of this kind can be made
easily during moonlight nights, and
should be resorted to at every
opportunity, as, due to the nature of
the country, it is the only method by
which movements can be made without the
enemy's knowledge. However, in view of
the narrow and precipitous trails to be
found in this region, might movements on
dark nights are extremely hazardous, and
should not be attempted except in cases
of extreme emergency.
4. The detachment joined
Captain Blake's column at PORTAL for the
remainder of the night. At 8:00 a.m.,
Captain Blake sent one section of his
column to cover one of the roads leading
out from QUIBUTO, and cleared PORTAL
with the remainder of his force for SAN
JUAN DE TELPANECA. Lieutenant Walraven's
column arrived at PORTAL at 9:30 a.m.,
having found QUIBUTO deserted. However,
one old rifle was found in one of the
houses there and confiscated. At 10:20
a.m., my detachment, together with
Lieutenant Walraven's detachment,
cleared PORTAL for SAN JUAN DE
TELPANECA, arriving at the latter place
at 2:30 p.m. The town was found
deserted, and there was no evidence of
its having been occupied by bandit
forces for some days previous to our
arrival. There are some twenty or
twenty-five buildings in the town, most
of which were occupied by our troops. At
5:45 p.m, the same date, Lieutenant
Clark, with Lieutenant McDonald, Guardia
Nacional, and a detachment of
approximately fifty-five enlisted,
Marines and Guardia, arrived from
QUILALI, having marched via SANTA RITA
and CERRA BLANCA [Cerro Blanco] without
incident.
5. All columns remained at SAN JUAN DE
TELPANECA on 8 March, and an
investigation of that vicinity failed to
disclose any evidence of bandit
activities. According to natives, no
bandits had been seen in that region for
at least two weeks prior to our arrival.
While in SAN JUAN the troops practically
lived on native food stuffs. Beef,
beans, corn, oranges and bananas are to
be procured with little difficulty.
6. On 9 March, there being
no evidence of bandit operations in that
region, the several columns cleared SAN
JUAN DE TELPANECA, under orders to
investigate the areas en route to
stations as follows: My detachment (with
Colonel Dunlap) and Lieutenant McDonald,
Guardia, with twenty-five enlisted,
Marines and Guardia, to QUILALI via
BUENA VISTA and LAS CRUCES; Lieutenant
Walraven to TELPANECA via EL BALSAMO and
SANTO DOMINGO; Lieutenant Clark via EL
BALSAMO to SUSUCAYAN, thence detachments
to APALI, JICARO, and SAN ALBINO;
Captain Blake [ p. 3 ] to CONDEGA via
PERICON, thence to operate in area: SAN
ANDRES-DARAILI-PALACAGUINA-CONDEGA, to
limit of rations. My detachment cleared
at 8:00 a.m., and after investigating
the region en route, arrived at QUILALI
at 1:40 p.m, where it remained for the
night.
7. At 8:15 a.m, 11 March,
the detachment cleared QUILALI for SAN
ALBINO, marching via LAS CRUCES. There
was no evidence of the presence of
bandits in this region, and at 3:15
p.m., the detachment arrived at SAN
ALBINO, where it was billeted for the
night.
8. At 1:15 p.m., 12 March,
the detachment cleared SAN ALBINO for
JICARO, taking the short trail, and
arrived at the latter place at 2:45
p.m., remaining overnight.
9. At 7:45 a.m., 13 March,
the detachment left JICARO, and arrived
at APALI at 11:15 a.m. At 1:45 p.m., it
cleared APALI for ORSI RANCH, arriving
there at 3:15 p.m., and clearing at 3:40
p.m., for SAN FERNANDO. SAN FERNANDO was
reached at 4:25 p.m., and the detachment
remained there overnight.
10. At 5:30 a.m., 14 March,
the detachment cleared SAN FERNANDO,
arriving at OCOTAL at 9:40 a.m.
11. Judging by my personal
reconnaissance, and reports from natives
and other columns operating in the area
in question, it is believed that the
area to the North of the COCO RIVER,
East of PUEBLO NUEVO and West of
QUILALI, was free of bandits during the
time that our columns were operating in
accordance with reference (a).
/s/ J. M. ARTHUR
127/204/3
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