Quilali, Nicaragua.
January 31, 1928
[actually December 31, 1927]

    1.    At about 0930, January December 30, 1927, while marching on Quilali, this expedition encountered a bandit force of Sandino, estimated at 400 to 500 strong on the Camina [Camino] Real, about 1500 yards south of Quilali. The action continued on for about one hour and twenty minutes when the enemy was driven off.
 
   2.    At the time the enemy force was encountered, this force was marching single file on a narrow trail along the side of a mountain with the Jicaro river on our left (west) flank. The mountain sloped at an angle of about 45 degrees and the slope from the trail to the river 100 feet below us was about the same. The river at this point was about 200 feet wide and made a sharp turn to the west, and side of the mountain, and a hill directly ahead flanking the trail at the bend was covered with woods and extremely heavy underbrush. A sketch, showing the general situation, not to scale, is enclosed.
 
   3.    As our point passed point "A", a midway point to "B", it observed suspicious movements at point "B". Fire was immediately opened by enemy from point "A" and "B" all along the line "C", and from across the river from point "E", with machine guns, automatic rifles, rifles, pistols, dynamite bombs, and unidentified weapons sounding similar to our trench mortars and mountain batter guns. Enemy guns and riflemen were cleverly concealed; the riflemen being along the barbed wire fence on the mountain slope, each man being ab behind an individual barricade of rocks piled around tree stumps about 15" high and wide. Fire was opened simultaneously from all points by the enemy on discovery of this point at "B", but it is believed that this was not in accordance with his plans as our examination of the trail north of "B" disclosed that he had prepared positions along the trail thru a banana grove, and it is believed that it was his plan to allow the advance guard to enter the trail in the banana grove, and strike the entire column simultaneously. The discipline maintained, the morale, and the accuracy of fire of the bandits, as well as the tactical disposition of their troops were far above anything displayed by them in any of their actions heretofore in this section and leads to the belief that they are receiving training from sources other than Nicaraguans because of the up-to-dateness of their tactics. All enemy seen were garbed in clothing similar to our summer field in color. No prisoners could be captured because of the superiority of the enemy's position and the fat that they removed their casualties with them. [ p. 2 ]
 
   4.    (a) Bandit leaders unknown.
         (b) No mounts seen.
         (c) Aerial assistance - none of our planes were present during engagement but two planes arrived immediately after, strafed the hills in the direction given by us and departed.
 
   5.    CASUALTIES:

Marines:-

(a) KILLED: HEMPHILL, John W. 1st Sgt. (Lt. GN)
            THIEIHART, Adolph Cpl.
            GOLDSMITH, George E. Pfc.
            WATSON, Grady W. Pfc.
            CROSSON, Estler Pvt.
 
(b) WOUNDED, seriously-
            LIVINGSTON, Richard Captain
            CORYALL, Fred Gy-Sgt.
            COLLINS, Robert H. Pvt.
            TURNER, Charles E. Pvt.
            COYNE, Berhnard W. Pvt.
            SMITH, Leonard J. Pvt.
 
(c) MINOR WOUNDS - Fragments of bombs, etc.
            MINNICK, William T. Lt. (MC) USN
            ROOS, Otto N. Sgt.
            GOULD, Moses, J. 1st Lieut.
            FIELDS, Scott Sgt.
            NEEL, John W. Cpl. (Lt GN)
            LEACH, Anthony J. Cpl.
            BRANDENBURG, Raleigh R. Pfc.
            DOWD, Thomas F. Pfc.
            BLANCHARD, Harry M. Pfc.
            LITTLE, Jacob Pvt.
            FITZPATRICK, Arthur L. Pvt.
            NEWBURGER, Albert H. Pvt.
            ENDRESS, Clifford C. Pvt.
            MERCHANT, William C. Pvt.
            HUSKA, Paul Pvt.
            SMITH, Glenn Pvt.
            WALKER, Edgar, B. Pvt.

GUARDIA -

(a) KILLED: HEMPHILL, John W. Lt. (See above under Marines)
            HERNANDEZ, Enriques Cpl. #356
 
(b) Wounded seriously:-
            GARCIAS, Louis C. Pvt. # 49
            GUTIERREZ, Policarpo Pvt. #355
            (not expected to live)
            [p. 3]
 
(c) WOUNDED, not seriously:
            NEEL, John N. Lt. (See above under Marines)
 
NATIVE GUIDE:
            Killed: SALINI, Ramon.
 
BANDITS:
           Losses unknown, but believed to be heavy.
 
PRISONERS:
           None.

   (6)    Medical Officer considers it necessary that all listed as seriously wounded be evacuated immediately because of lack of facilities for proper care.
 
   (7)    Pack train badly shot up and scattered, report of losses of stores and animals will follow later.
 
   (8)    No losses of ammunition or weapons known at present. Check up being made.
 
   (9)    Check of ammunition expenditures being made.
 
   (10)    Further details later.
 
   (11)    Dead will be buried here.
  
   (12)    Captain Livingston was wounded immediately after action started and the undersigned has assumed command pending arrival of Lieutenant Richal.

M. J. GOULD,
1st Lieutenant, USMC,
Commanding.

Sketch of Scene of Action
Capt. Livingston's Column
30 December 1927.

NA127/212/1 and /113C/12
See also Neill Macaulay, The Sandino Affair (Duke 1985), pp. 99-100.