Battle of Santa Clara (1927) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Santa Clara |
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| Part of United States occupation of Nicaragua, Banana Wars | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 United States Nicaragua |
Sandinistas |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Maj. Oliver Floyd |
Porfirio Sanchez |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 75 marines 150 national guard 2 aircraft |
120-150 guerrillas 2 machine guns |
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| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| none | 60 killed (from both the skirmish and the airstrike.) 1 captured (later released) 12 mules killed 8 mules captured |
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The Battle of Santa Clara happened on July 27, 1927. It was part of the American presence in Nicaragua from 1926 to 1933. After a surprise attack by Sandinista fighters at the Battle of San Fernando, Major Oliver Floyd and his group of American Marines and Nicaraguan soldiers kept moving into areas controlled by the enemy in northern Nicaragua.
Contents
Air Attack Before the Battle
On July 27, two American airplanes saw about forty Sandinista fighters hiding. The planes were shot at by a machine gun. So, the planes dropped three bombs on the rebels. The pilots said they saw six Sandinistas who were either killed or badly hurt.
The Ground Battle Begins
Major Floyd's group of Marines and Nicaraguan soldiers reached an area near Santa Clara. There, they were attacked by 60 to 150 Sandinista fighters. These fighters had two machine guns. One was a Lewis gun, and the other was likely the same type.
The battle lasted from 2:30 PM to 4:00 PM. The Sandinista fighters were eventually forced to retreat.
Who Won and What Happened Next
The American and Nicaraguan government forces did not lose any soldiers. Five dead rebels were found on the battlefield. However, Augusto César Sandino later said he lost up to 60 men killed or wounded. This number might include those hurt in the air raid. Sandino often made numbers seem bigger during his rebellion, so 60 might not be exact. One young Sandinista was captured but later set free.
Besides people, twelve of Sandino's pack animals were killed. Eight more were captured.
Sandino Changes His Plan
The fight at Santa Clara, along with earlier battles like Ocotal and San Fernando, made Sandino change his fighting style. He decided to attack only when he had a big advantage. This meant having the element of surprise, good hiding spots, and more firepower.
He would no longer "stand his ground" or keep fighting if an attack wasn't going well. Major Floyd might fight a "blood and thunder campaign," but Sandino chose to use "hit-and-run" tactics. This is known as guerrilla warfare. After the Battle of Santa Clara, the Sandinistas moved into the jungles around El Chipote mountain. This area was perfect for guerrilla warfare.
