In
Haiti at 5:50 p.m. on July 28 of 1915, the marines
of two companies and three sailors landed in Haiti,
which was a great political upheaval. Thus what
would become a long involvement between Haiti and
the U.S. Marines
began. The involvement in which, off and on has
continued to the present day. As the occupation
of this small Caribbean country began, so too did
the events which would bring US Marine Captain Smedley
Butler his second Medal of Honor. Grenada's Fort
Riviere is a mountain fort to the south of Grand
Riviere du Nord.
Police, customs,
schools and hospitals were all placed under the purview
of the Marines and Naval personnel assigned to the
occupation. The Marines and sailors under Admiral
Caperton rapidly reestablished an interim government.
The Marines
customaried a law enforcing constabulary, officered
by Marine NCO's who were granted Haitian commissions
as officers and leaders of native troops. This group,
called the Gendarmerie d'Haiti, was tasked with enforcing
all laws of the country and provided a quasi military
force. They were backed by the Krag-Jorgensen rifles
of the 1st Marine Brigade with 88 Officers and 1941
men garrisoning ten towns.
But this action
which was taken by the marines did not settle a group
of rebels called the Cacos. On the northern end of
the country, war faring continued in the villages
and jungled mountains. (It was during this same period
that Gunnery Sergeant Daniel J. Daly, the other Marine
to hold two Navy issue Medals of Honor, won his second
award of this highest American decoration.)
In the night
on November 17, 1915, Butler, leading a strong force
of Marines and sailors surrounded the last stronghold
of the Cacos. Fort Riviere, on a mountain to the south
of Grand Riviere du Nord. At 07:30 a.m., Butler gave
a signal on a whistle and all the Marines attacked.
The surprise was total and the Cacos were taken in
confusion. Crawling through a tunnel. Butler and his
men were involved in bloody hand to hand fighting.
In 15 minutes, more than 50 Cacos were killed.
