The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-15
ROWAN AT TAMPA.
Brought Important Dispatches from
the Insurgent Chief Garcia.


TAMPA, Fla, May 14-Col. A. l.. Wagner.
representing the army on the advisory board
# the War Department, and member of
General Miles's staff, arrived in Tampa to-
day and reported al once to General Wade,
He refused to talk on the object of his visit
here. The presence of a member of the adj
visory board in Tampa at this time how
ever, has brought about feeling that the
time for the invasion of Cuba by the United
States forces is now very near. Added sig
nificance was given Colonel Wagner's sud-
den visit to Tampa by the arrival on the
steamer Mascotte to-day of Lieut.. A. s.
Rowan, who accompanied Captain Dorst on
the Leyden expedition from Key West to
Cuba. Lieutenant Rowan brought with him
dispatches from the insurgent leader, Cen
eral Garcia, involving, 1t is believed a COM
plete plan for the cooperation of that part
of the Cuban army with the forces of the
United States.
Lieutenant Rowan was brought to Tampa
from Port Tampa on special train and
was Immediately shown to Colonel Wagner's
apartments in the Tampa. Bay Hotel. Lieu
tenant Rowan said he had no trouble in
landing in Cuba. General Garcia's head
quarters are at present at Bayamo, one
Of the most important cities of Santiago de
Cuba, from which place the Spanish troops
large
OF much-needed supplies was captured.
With the exception of perhaps half a dozen
seaports. the insurgents are now in COM
plete possession of the eastern portion of
the island. Lieutenant Rowan says the
dreaded rainy season is commencing. 1t is
already raining in the mountains.
Additional details Of Lieutenant RoWan's
visit to General Garcia were given by Lieu
tenant Carlos Hernandez, aid to Gen. En-
Iique Collazo, both of whom accompanied
the intrepid American officer from the in
terror of Cuba to the seacoast, and who
shared with him the dangers of the four
days Journey in an open boat from the
coast to Nassau, Jamaica. Lieutenant
Rowan has seen more of the Island of Cuba
in shorter time and endured more hard
Colonel Hernandez From where Iieuten-
ant Rowan landed on April 20 last. near
Porto Portillo, on the south coast of San
tiago de Cuba, to where he left on the north
coast, is across the widest part of the
island With guard of only four men he
pushed through part of the way on foot,
and through one of the widest parts of the
Island With hardly a stop for rest he
reached Bayamo on May l. where he met
General Garcia Five hours afterwards we
started for the north coast. Lieutenant
Rowan did not stop for an instant until his
mission was accomplished, exhausted
though he was. For four days and nights
we hardly left our saddles. 1t is ride I
DO not think Lieutenant Rowan will ever
forget. But, like the soldier that he is, he
the coast, near Port Manati, on May s. the
only boat procurable was a little dory
hardly more than sixteen feet long, yet our
orders permitted no delay, and six of us en-
barked on this little cockle-shell. We were
picked up by sponger and reached Nassau
early on May s."
The body Of Ensign Bagley was brought
up from Key West on the Mascotte and
was shipped tonight to Raleigh, N. c.
party of four American college grad
yates who have been with General Garcia's
army as officers of artillery for the past
two years and over were also passengers
on the Mascotte. They We're Mai. Arthur
]. Joyce, Yale, IS; Capt. Osman Iatrobe
jr., Pennsylvania, 80: Lieut.. James Penny.