Battle of Masaya (1912) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Masaya
Part of the United States occupation of Nicaragua, Banana Wars, Nicaraguan civil war of 1912
Date 19 September 1912 Location Masaya, Nicaragua Result American victory
Belligerents
United States	Nicaraguan Rebels
Commanders and leaders
Smedley Butler	Benjamín Zeledón
Strength
400 marines & sailors 2 machine guns 2 guns"	150 "armed horsemen" snipers (in buildings along the railroad track)
Casualties and losses
6 wounded 3 captured (one of whom was slightly wounded)	56-68 killed 60-70 wounded (12 of whom later died)

The Battle of Masaya happened on September 19, 1912. It was part of a time when the United States military was in Nicaragua. This period is known as the American occupation of Nicaragua. It also took place during a civil war in Nicaragua in 1912.

What Led to the Battle?

Nicaragua was going through a civil war. The country's government, led by the Conservative Party, was fighting against a group of rebels. These rebels included members of the Liberal Party and some Conservatives who disagreed with the government.

The United States sent 400 Marines and sailors to Nicaragua. They also brought two machine guns and two larger guns. Their mission was to take control of the city of Granada from the rebel forces.

A Journey by Train

The American forces, led by Smedley Butler, traveled by train. As they neared the city of Masaya, rebels threatened them. These rebels were led by Benjamín Zeledón. They were positioned on two important hills called Coyotepe and Barranca. The Americans tried to talk with Zeledón. They wanted to get safe passage past these hills.

The Fight Begins

On the evening of September 19, 1912, the Americans continued their train journey into Masaya. Commander Butler was sitting at the very front of the train on a flat car. The train was almost through the town.

An Unexpected Attack

Suddenly, at Nindiri Station, two Nicaraguan men on horses appeared. They started shooting pistols. One shot hit Corporal J. J. Bourne, who was sitting near Butler, in the finger. Butler quickly stopped the train. He called for a medic to help Bourne.

Soon, the situation got worse. Snipers began shooting from houses along both sides of the railroad track. About 150 "armed horsemen" also joined the attack. They all fired at the American train.

Returning Fire

The U.S. forces fought back. Some were inside the train, and others took cover beside the tracks. Machine gunners on top of the train's boxcars also fired their weapons. Three Marines were hit by the rebel gunfire. Their names were Private C. P. Browne, Private Ray Betzer, and Trumpeter W. M. Brown.

The train's engineer had hidden under his seat. Commander Butler had to get him to come out and drive the train. The most intense part of the fighting lasted about five minutes. After that, the shooting slowly stopped.

Catching Up

The train then started to move faster. It left behind some Marines who had taken cover by the tracks. These troops, led by Captain Nelson P. Vulte, had to find small handcars. They used these to catch up with the moving train. The entire battle lasted less than half an hour.

During the fight, five Americans were wounded. Three others were captured, but one of them was only slightly hurt. They were released soon after.

What Happened Next?

The Nicaraguan rebels suffered more losses. Between 56 and 68 rebels were killed right away. Another 60 to 70 were wounded. Sadly, 12 of those wounded later died.

The day after the battle, on September 20, 1912, Zeledón sent a messenger to the Americans. The messenger said that the attack was "unauthorized." However, the Americans believed the attack in Masaya was planned. They called it "an act of treachery" by General Zeledón.

After the battle, Butler's forces continued their journey to Granada. There, they convinced the rebel leader, Luis Mena, to give up. Mena then went to live in exile in Panama. Later in the civil war, U.S. forces returned to the Masaya area. They fought to take control of Coyotepe hill.