Battle of Ocotal

Battle of Ocotal
Part of the Occupation of Nicaragua, Banana Wars
Fort Ocotal, held by marines during the occupation of Nicaragua
Date 16 July 1927 Location Ocotal, Nicaragua Result American-Nicaraguan victory
Belligerents
United States  Nicaragua	Sandinistas
Commanders and leaders
Maj. Ross E. Rowell Cap. Gilbert Hatfield Grover C. Darnall Thomas G. Bruce	Augusto César Sandino Rufo Marín † Porfirio Sánchez
Strength
37 marines 47 national guard[1] 7 aircraft	500–600 guerrillas[1]
Casualties and losses
9 killed & wounded (according to Beckett)[1] 1 killed 5 wounded (according to Nalty)[2]	40–80 killed (according to Beckett)[1] 56 killed 100 wounded (according to Nalty)[2]

The Battle of Ocotal occurred in July 1927, during the American occupation of Nicaragua. A large force of rebels loyal to

By June 1927,

The United States Marines and the Nicaraguan guards did not have to wait long for a battle. On July 15, Captain Hatfield doubled his watch and that same night, Sandino's rebels began entering the town, two or three men at a time. At 1:15 am on July 16, a lone marine patrolling the town spotted a suspicious man walking through a street so he fired what became the first shot of the engagement. With the element of surprise lost, Sandino immediately ordered his men to charge the marines and the guards. Around 4 AM, three charges were made on city hall, resulting in the death of Rufo Marin, the second charge lasting more than four hours.[4]^: 312 At daybreak heavy fighting commenced again until 8:00 am when Sandino demanded Hatfield's surrender. Captain Hatfield refused to concede, apparently believing that his fortified positions were strong enough to repel any further attack.^[5]

Daylight also brought two marine aircraft into the battle. At around 10:00 am, one of the planes, piloted by

Fifty-six dead rebels were collected and over 100 more were wounded, while the US Marines and the Nicaraguan National Guards suffered only light casualties. (The exact casualties suffered by the victors vary between accounts: Nalty stated only one man killed and five wounded,[2] while Beckett stated a total of nine killed and wounded.^[1]) While this action was by no means the end of the insurgency – it was to last another five years – it was the last time that the rebels attempted to concentrate for a massed attack of this kind. As with early British successes with aircraft in counterinsurgency in Somaliland in 1920, it had forced the insurgents to change their tactics.^[1]

One Marine killed was

Major Oliver Floyd's Nueva Segovia expedition soon arrived in Ocotal, and on 25 July, marched for San Fernando.[4]^: 315

See also

• Banana Wars
• Chesty Puller

References

Bibliography

• Beckett, I.F.W. (ed., 1988) The Roots of Counter-Insurgency, Blandford Press, London:
  ISBN 0-7137-1922-2
• Nalty, Bernard C. (1968). The United States Marines in Nicaragua. Washington DC: US Marines Historical Branch.

13°38′N 86°29′W / 13.633°N 86.483°W / 13.633; -86.483