Battle of Grande Riviere
Part of the Banana Wars
Date October 24, 1915 Location Grande Riviere, Haiti Result United States victory
Belligerents
United States	Cacos
Commanders and leaders
Captain Smedley Butler	unknown
Strength
41 marines	~400 infantry
Casualties and losses
1 wounded	unknown

The Battle of Grande Riviere, or the Battle of Fort Dipitie, was fought in October of 1915 during the United States occupation of Haiti. United States Marines and rebel Haitians known as Cacos, skirmished at the Grande Riviere next to Fort Dipitie.

Battle

In late October of 1915, the United States marine Captain Smedley Butler was in command of a mounted reconnaissance patrol south of Fort Liberte, Haiti near the enemy held Fort Dipitie. While fording across the Les Grande at night, a force of over 400 rifle armed Cacos attacked the marines from three different positions. The Americans were shocked and returned a few shots before retreating to high ground a few hundred yards to the rear. During the retreat the marines lost their only machine-gun when the horse it was being carried on got shot by a Caco rifleman. Boxer Rebellion veteran and Medal of Honor recipient Dan Daly retrieved the weapon under fire, an act which earned him a second Medal of Honor. The Cacos followed up their ambush and attacked the marines again and all night long the Americans held their ground. Cacos were reportedly terrible marksmen and throughout the battle only one marine was wounded. Captain Butler planned to counter-attack at light on October 25th, 1915. He told his men to charge as fast as they could and shoot everything around. The marines divided into three groups and headed for the river and the main body of the enemy. When they were sighted; the Cacos fled the field but several did not escape and were killed by American fire. First Lieutenant Edward Albert Ostermann commanded one of the American squads, he was also awarded the Medal of Honor for action in this engagement. Fort Dipitie was captured with little resistance just after the rebels began their retreat. Captain Butler and his men returned to base at Cap Haitien a few days later. Butler and the marines went on to fight in the Battle of Fort Riviere later on, the engagement which ended the First Caco War.