The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1910-02-11
Disaster Was Due, 1t Seems, to
Misinterprettaion of Orders
by Blandon.
MADRIz REGIME Is NEAR END
Despite the Setback at Santa Clara
insurgents Still Appear to Have
Better of the Situation in
Nicaragua.


tails OF the recent battle at Santa Clara
i'm which the revolutionists were de-
feated and General Blandon killed, in
dicate the disaster was due to a mis-
Interpretation of orders. Mena's plan
was that Blandon should keep the gov
ernment forces engaged until he could
meet division of the gov
ernment troops. Blandon sustained
heavy raking fire and lost many of his
men. Mena's instructions To hold the
hill were received about this time.
Mena had i'm the meantime engaged
the enemy and pursued him as far as
Santa Clara. Here an error i'm the
reading of instructions caused Blandon
to place himself i'm an exposed posi-
tion and he was raked by a battery of
Maxim guns. Blandon was shot i'm the
head. the effect of his death causing
ually to retreat.
A review of the details shows the
campaign was well planned and ener-
getically furthered. While General
Chamorro was operating in the prov
ince of Matagalpa, where he has since
occupied the capital Mena with only
$50 men and no field guns attacked the
enemy. 500 strong and entrenched. De-
ceived regarding the strength of the
PROFESSIONALS, the enemy fell back, talk
ing a stand at Santa Clara. Mena pur-
sued. The fighting continued on Feb.
at long range and with no great
damage done. At o'clock the fol-
lowing morning the PROFESSIONALS made
a desperate attack upon the fortified
position of the enemy. being reinforced
by the timely arrival of General Blan-
don with 200 men and one Maxim gun.
The enemy's position was in the form
of a semi circle. The government troops
had been reinforced over night by 700
men and two Maxim and two Hotch-
kiss guns. These guns were wen plac-
ed and using smokeless powder could
not be located definitely by Mena.
Mena's right wing including sharp
shooters, took an exposed position
within the enemy's semi-circle, while
his left wing was sent to the rear Of
the enemy at the right of a steep hill.
During the forenoon the fighting was
chiefly between Mena's left and the
enemys right, the latter repulsing ev-
cry attack. General Conrad of the pro-
visionals commanded the Maxim gun,
which was posted i'm an exposed po-
sition 500 yards from one of the enc
my's maxims and 200 yards from the
other. Back of the insurgents guns
was group composed of Blandon,
members of his staff and half dozen
men of Conrad's gun crew. The en-
emy's nearest Maxim and one of its
Hitchkiss guns had a perfect range on
his little party and moved down the
heavy vegetation by which the
PROFESSIONALS were partly concealed. 1t
is considered marvellous Conrad es-
capped injury so long as he did. Two
of his men were wounded early in the
fight. Blandon constantly exposed
himself as he searched the position of
the enemy with his binoculars in an
eIIOIi W iOCdlt litiI kuISs ~ " NipNh
i'm the afternoon he received a bullet
through his brain. The fall of Blandon
was a great misfortune to the provis-
ionals. He had just received and read
orders from Mena, instructlng him to
hold the hill. when the enemy's near
ess Maxim, having been moved fr-ther
to the left. began raking a hitherto
sheltered spot. Blandon's body was
accompanied To the rear by Col. Roche,
who declared Mena had ordered Blan-
don 10 abandan the right wing and re-
inforce the left. which had been unable
to make any progress against the gov
ernments position.
Conrad dismounted the gun and the
column began TO move for new point
i'm plain sight of the enemy. which
quickly took advantage of the situa-
ton. Mena saw the mistake and gall
Looping 10 the front Of the moving coll
umn ordered IL back to its original po-
sition. which it was instructed to hold
at any cost but the time lost was
fatal and those who reached their for
mer position found the enemy with two
Maxim guns at distances Of fifty and
one hundred yards. under cover and
pouring murderous fire upon the po-
sition which the PROFESSIONALS were at
tempting To resume.
Conrad directed his Maxim upon the
nearest enemy. meanwhile receiving a
cross frc OF the governments three
Mamix guns. Conrad's chief assistant
was shot through the arm and his am
munition tenders wounded. Conrad
was compelled himself to place cool
ing water upon the gun Jacket and 60
adjust ammunition belts unaidcd. His
iNicararuans behaved bravcly but were
simply unable 90 reach The gun posi-
ton In the face OF tho bail of bullets.
Conrad himself was shot IN the ahdo-
men hut the bullet pursued down
ward course. cutting he flesh only.
Mena. recognizing the cost OF his mis-