File No. 882.00/539
Minister Curtis to the Secretary of State
Monrovia, June 13, 1916.
Sir: I have the honor to report for the information of the Department that Lieutenant Wm. Roundtree, in command of a detachment of the Liberian Frontier Force at Sinoe, has arrived at Monrovia.
He reports a fierce joint attack, of his detachment of troops from Sinoe and the detachment of troops from River Cess, under his command, against the Kru strongholds at Rock Cess and Sangwin on June 2, 3 and 4, 1916, the former of which embraces the fortification on the Pu River, which was recently captured and later evacuated by a force under command of Captain Gillespie.
Lieutenant Roundtree further reports that both Sangwin and Rock Cess were taken after a sanguinary battle lasting three days, in which his troops, flushed with victory, advanced on the Krus who fled in confusion; that his troops pursued them and practically massacred them, as a result of which Sangwin and Rock Cess are now in possession of the Government’s forces and strongly garrisoned.
This coast is now in fact in the hands of and under control of the Government, for the first time since its existence, as I am informed, it being a matter of general knowledge here that from time wherein the memory of man runneth not to the contrary, the Government has had only a nominal control of this section of its territory.
Lieutenant Roundtree’s feat is regarded in Monrovia as a coup de maître and all the more extraordinary, in view of the fact that no one here had any information that orders had been issued to him to make the attack and because it was generally believed that the Government’s forces would make no offensive movements till the rainy season was over.
The successful issue of Roundtree’s attack on the Kru strongholds, according to public opinion as expressed by officials and residents most familiar with Liberian affairs and idiocrasies of the native African, spells finis to the ill-fated Kru revolt South Liberian Coast.
I have [etc.]