T  R  A  N  S  C  R  I  P  T  I  O  N

57th Co, 2nd Bn., 11th Regt.,
Condega, Nicaragua.
5 March 1928.

    1.  In compliance with orders from Battalion Commander, 2nd Battalion, 11th Regiment, dated 27 February 1928, I cleared Condega at 5:34 pm, February 27, 1928, with 2 commissioned officers, 1 warrant officer and 85 enlisted marines and 1 hospital corpsman, enroute to Yali and Vegas via Daraili to investigate and suppress any bandit activities at those places.

   2.   At 10:30 pm, 27 February 1928, the column was halted by Cpl Homer T. Provost about 4 miles from Daraili who reported that Lt. O'Day's column had been ambushed about 3 miles the other side of Daraili and that he had made a getaway to report to Condega (Cpl Provost is in the Intelligence section, 2nd Battalion). I proceeded to Daraili where the mule train and all extra equipment was left under guard.

   3.   Mr. Gonzalez at Daraili was questioned and stated that he had heard firing between 1:00 pm and 8:00 pm, he did not know anything about what was going on; a patrol was dispatched to Condega with this information to the Battalion Commander.

   4.   At 12:45 am, 28 February 1928, the column left Daraili for Lt. O'Day's relief; after marching 1 1/2 hours, I decided that we were nearly up to the place of ambush, no firing had been heard and only a few native yells; as soon as it was light enough a reconnaissance was made and it was found that we were about 500 yards from the place of ambush. Moving forward, our point entered an open space, I had gone forward at this time and we saw two pack mules, one packed with what looked like ammunition, running toward the hill on our left front. I called the Marine Gunner Allen to shoot it, which he did, at the same time halting the column in the brush and got the point under cover. At this place we found a marine hat and some equipment (sketching board and map case).

   5.   Shortly after the shots had been fired at the mules I heard Lt. O'Day call from the brush on the right of the trail asking "Who is there"? I answered, "Captain McNulty with the 57th Company." Lt. O'Day then came up thru the brush and joined the company giving me the approximate location of the bandit positions, and stating that his column was badly scattered.

   6.   I gave Marine Gunner Allen instructions to get his machine gun in a position where he could sweep the crest of the hill on our left front and formed my company along the trail, Lt. Chapelle on the left, Lt. O'Day on the right, myself in the center, we started to advance at 6:45 am, moving off to the northeast making a turning movement to the right and advancing due east striking the bandits of the right flank (see intelligence section sketch); they opened fire at about u:12 am [sic] which was returned, the advance was continued by short rushes, the machine gun covering the ridge ahead of us as we advanced, the gunner having a good view of the crest of the hill gave him excellent position for with very little danger to our line.

   7.   Our advance continued until 8:20 am, when the last bandits were cleared out of the vicinity.

   8.   It is estimated that on the morning of February 28, approximately 200 bandits were in position and a conservative estimate of their casualties would be 10 dead and 30 wounded. 7 dead horses were counted on the hill after the attack. There were no marine casualties during the attack of February 28, 1928.

   9.   It is believed by the undersigned that the attack on the morning of February 28, 1928, was a surprise to the bandits, they were waiting until daylight to complete the destruction of Lt. O'Day's organization and did not have information that reinforcements had arrived, [ p. 2 ] when our automatic weapons started firing there was a surprise yell all along their lines.

   10.   The troops were withdrawn at about 9:30 am, and outposts established. In assembling Lt. O'Day's patrol, it was found that he had 3 dead and 10 wounded on February 27, 1928. The dead were buried, Brigade Order #28 of 1 March 1927, being complied with as nearly as possible, stretchers were improvised and preparations were made to return to Daraili with the wounded. At about 12:10 pm, an airplane sighted us when reports of casualties were made.

   11.   The column left Bromaderos at 1:00 pm, and arrived at Daraili at 2:10 p.m., where the Battalion Commander was waiting.

   12.   The entire command conducted themselves in the most soldierly manner during the attack of February 28th, most of the company being recruits with less than 4 months training yet they responded instantly to orders and the line never faltered in it's advance.

/s/ W. K. McNulty

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HEADQUARTERS, 2ND BATTALION, 11TH REGIMENT,
CONDEGA, NICARAGUA. 2 MARCH 1928.

      The following report was made to the Battalion Commander by Captain William K. MacNulty at DARAJLI, 28 February 1928, on his return from contact with bandit forces at JOCOTO:-
 
     Left CONDEGA at 5:35 p.m., and proceeded to DARAJLI (15 miles NE of CONDEGA). Enroute received unconfirmed report that SANDINO was oeprating between DARAJLI and YALI. at 9:40 p.m., Corporal Provost of the Intelligence Platoon halted the column and reported that Lieutenant O'Day had been ambushed about one and one half miles east of DARAJLI. On arrival DARAJLI S. Gonzales the owner of the finca told me that he had heard firing between 1:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. He also told me that Sandino was present with the bandits. I left all packs and surplus equipment at the finca under guard and left at 12:45 a.m. to relief of Lieutenant O'Day. We arrived at JOCOTO about 3:15 a.m. As soon as it was light enough a reconnaissance was made. At this time Lieutenant O'Day called from the brush to keep clear of the point of the hill. After a conference with Lieutenant O'Day I decided to place a machine gun where it would comb the hill leaving one squad with the gun with Marine Gunner Allen and the balance of the company was formed along the trail. Lieutenant O'Day on the right, Lieutenant Chappell on the left, myself in the center, making a turning movement across the face of the hill striking the enemy on the flank; this movement started at 6:45 a.m. and at 7:12 a.m. we were fired on from the left center. The advance was continued driving them to the north over the hill. The last bandits leaving about two miles north of where contact was made. There were no casuals [casualties] in this patrol. During the fight of the morning of February 28th, bandits lost approximately ten killed and thirty wounded. The patrol under Lieutenant O'Day was assembled and it was found that he had three dead and nine wounded. The dead were buried at JOCOTO and the wounded were cared for and taken to DARAJLI where the command was met by Major Pierce.

/s/ B. W. Atkinson
First Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps,
Bn-3.

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