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Idelfonso Molina on his capture & release by EDSN

      Idelfonso Molina and Alejandro Molina were brothers, sons of Blas Miguel Molina, wealthy landowner and prominent member of the Yali & Jinotega elite.  Alejandro Molina joined with Sandino in late 1927 and rose to the rank of sergeant major. Idelfonso Molina was captured by Sandinistas in mid-December 1928, taken to their main camp, kept for about eight days, and released.  This report summarizes the information that the Marines & Guardia were able to get from him about what he saw & heard, which was not insubstantial.  We learn about some of their internal conflicts; their material circumstances and military capabilities; Marine-Guardia efforts to persuade Alejandro Molina to surrender; about a big EDSN assembly planned for the end of 1928 at El Chipote, among other very interesting things.  (above, Sandinista rebels, n.d., from the collection of Walter C. Sandino; left, Alejandro Molina, 1928, USNA1)

     Idelfonso Molina's statement is followed by a letter from Alejandro to his father, explaining his decision to join the rebellion and asking for money.  Alejandro also protests against "Humberto" (probably Humberto Torres Molina) getting the land that Alejandro feels ought to be his.  The documents offer a revealing glimpse into various aspects of the rebellion, including how it cut across relations of family and social class.

 

Jinotega, Nicaragua
3 January, 1929

My Dear Major [Hans Schmidt],
 
Senor Molina came to me again today and brought with him another son, Idelfonso Molina, who was captured by the bandits December 14th and released by them through the efforts of his brother Alejandro in his behalf December 22nd.
 
The information that I received from Idelfonso Molina today and which I am going to give you in this letter, I have reason to believe for the following reasons:

(a) Senor B. Miguel Molina is a wealthy man, acknowledges that his son is a follower of Sandino and is not proud of it.
(b) The information comes voluntarily and is not paid for.

The information is as follows:
 
Idelfonso Molina was captured in the vicinity of San [Jerome] December 14th [and] was taken to the vicinity of La Rica and held there until December 22nd the date he was released.
 
Idelfonso states that Lagos was the one that captured him, that his brother Alejandro was the second Jefe and that there were fifty in the band, all well armed.
 
At La Rica the following jefes and their men assembled: Sanchez, Diaz, Lagos, Peralta, Abraham Centeno and Aponte, a new jefe of Sandino's that came from Guatemala. The bandits assembled under these chiefs numbered two hundred and twenty. They had plenty of ammunition with the exception of ammunition for Springfield rifles. The bandits had two Thompsons, several automatic rifles and quite a number of some kind of new automatic pistol for which they have plenty of ammunition.
 
During their stay at La Rica the jefes disagreed over Lagos giving permission to the coffee growers and as a result Lagos left and went to join Sandino. Alejandro Molina expected to become first jefe of this band but Sanchez who was the ranking jefe placed Blandon in charge. Blandon and Diaz had an argument during which their bands started fighting among themselves, but this was stopped.
 
A letter was sent to Sandino from la Rica by Sanchez and an answer received from Sandino within three days to the effect that they would all assemble in the vicinity of Chipote. This leads me to believe that Sandino was not more than a day away from La Rica.
 
Bandit chiefs had agreed to remain with Sandino only until the last of December when they will all assemble in the vicinity of Chipote and determine whether or not they would carry on. The followers from Honduras say that since the Liberal party is now in power here they are ready to go back to Honduras and see no reason for their remaining here.
 
Alfred Danos who was captured some time ago is being held by Sanchez.
 
Some of the bandits are very well dressed and others very poorly dressed. No sick among them.
 
Pedron Altamirano is with Sandino on his staff and it is Sandino's intention to keep him there. Sandino is of the opinion that all the people throughout the country are against [ p. 2 ] Pedron for that San Marcos affair and that they will give information as to his whereabouts if he moves about with a band.
 
I spoke to Senor Molina about trying to get his son to turn in and after some talk he said that he would try to do so. After the question of his son turning in came up I learned that Alejandro and some ten or twelve men who are tired of the bandit game are still in the vicinity of La Rica. Alejandro is working on one of his farms. Senor Molina requested that he be given pass in order that he can get to Alejandro through Yali and in Jinotega an order for him to receive his constancia and turn in his arms. I believe that through young Molina's turning in that the ten or twelve others in that vicinity will be influenced to do the same thing. I asked Major Gray about giving this permit to cover Alejandro's passing through Yali and into Jinotega and he approved of it. Senor Molina does not intend to go out where his son is but to send out and have him meet him just outside of Yali. Senor Molina does not care to run the chance of being captured by going out into that vicinity.
 
I have a letter dated December 22nd which is an order signed by Sanchez and Aponte for the coffee growers not to pick coffee by order of Sandino. I will forward the translation to you as soon as possible. Molina wants to keep the original letter.
 
It looks very much like Sandino is either getting ready to give up or get out of the country.
 
Expect to be in Managua soon when I will call at your office and go over this in more detail with you.
 
Respectfully,
Brady L. Vogt,
First Lieutenant, USMC

RG127/43A/4

Ancillary Documents

1.  Follow-up letter from Vogt to Schmidt, 3 Jan 1929

2.  Alejandro Molina to father Blas Miguel Molina, 10 Dec 1928

Jinotega, Nicaragua
3 January, 1929
 
My Dear Major:
 
I am sending to you in this letter, two translations of letters received by Senor B. Miguel Molina. Senor Molina lives in Yali and Jinotega. He let me have the original letters long enough to get translations and requested that they be returned to him.
 
He states that although the letter from his son is supposed to come from El Chipoton that he knows that his son is lying and that he is sure that the letter originated in the vicinity of Las Vegas. I had a long talk with Senor Molina and as I know that from time to time Brigade tries to get letters through to Sandino, I questioned him as to whether or not he knew of any way we could get to Sandino with letters. He stated that he was sure that if he delivered a letter to Alejandro Molina's mother that the letter would get to Alejandro and through to Sandino.
 
Later I talked to another son of Senor Molina, who is a brother of Alejandro, and this son stated that he has received word from his brother and also information which leads him to believe that his brother Alejandro and also Sandino with many of his followers are in the La Rica, Las Vegas, La Pavona and San Antonio area Northeast of Yali. This son has a letter that he recently received from Alejandro which I am trying to [ p. 3 ]get and hope to have it in a day or two.
 
Information received from Plata's outfit today also points to Las Vegas as the vicinity in which the bandits are now staying.
 
Respectfully,
Brady L. Vogt
First Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps

IR29.01.14.  NA127/43A/4



Mr. B. M. Molina
Yali
 
My Dear Father: --
 
I drop these lines with the purpose to greet you and the whole family and I wish you well. Father, I have been informed that you despise me and that you say that you feel ashamed because I am your son but if you knew what I am doing you would feel proud to have a hero son who is with his life in danger for the liberty of Nicaragua, and it is the duty of all good citizens to wrestle for the liberty and if there is not liberty it is better to die.
 
Father, I have been informed that Humberto notified my mother to get out of the farm which was from Ochoas and that you gave Humberto everything by a signed paper. I think nobody has a right to that farm but me and you are doing wrong to give a right to Humberto because he is in worse conditions than you are by our troops. I had received guarantees for you but when the General knew that Humberto was your manager for your business he ordered that everyone in your properties be bothered and if Humberto would get captured he would get the Vest Cut. By this order and some news I received that he is preparing a troop to watch for your business, I have fifty men and my machine gun ready to fight and I am ordered to burn the farms which Torres has whenever he begins to work.
 
Father, I need some money so I sold to Idelfonso the mule you have so give it to him and if you need the mule you return to him the fifty dollars.
 
With many remembrances from your son,
 
El Chipoton, December 10, 1928
Patriotic and Liberty,

/s/ Alejandro Molina

 

 

 

 

IR29.01.14.  NA127/43A/4 (English only)

Alejandro Molina also mentioned in the following EDSN-Docs:

EDSN 28.01.03 A. C. Sandino to Gen. Manuel Echevarria
EDSN 28.09.04 A. C. Sandino, Roster and Orders
EDSN 29.03.08 A. C. Sandino to Alejandro A. Molina (letter of recommendation & safe-conduct pass)

 

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