Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-11-02
Aliseellansnus Reaains.
THE MESSAGE TO GARCIA.
Major Rowan Who Carried II, to Re-
tire on December 1.

tire on Decemper ].
News came yesterday that Major
Andrew S. Rowan is to retire from the
army on his own application on De-
cember l next, and 1t Is said that the
news will be surprise in army circles,
where Maj. Rowan has long been re-
garded as one Of the most capable Of
ficers in the service. He Is at present
on duty at Fort Douglas, Utah.
Major Rowan is known popularity all
over the land by reason Of the feat in
the spring of 1898 Of penetrating Cuba
to the Businesses Of Gen. Calixto Gar
cia for the purpose of giving Gen. Gar
cia message from this government and
Of ascertaining whether the Cuban
army could cooperate with the army
of the United States. Rowan also got
from the Cubans points as to the avail
able landing places for the American
forces and arranged for meeting la
ter His mission was perilous, the
more so because news that he had
been dispatched upon it, somehow came
be to published soon after he had
started.
Rowan, then Lieut.. Rowan, went
from here to Kingston, Jamaica, thence
overland to the north coast Of that is
land, where he slipped away in a SAIL
boat for the south shore Of Cuba, land
ing between Guantanamo and Santa
go. He made his way to the interior of
the island and found Gen. Garcia in the
neighborhood of Manzanillo, which the
general had recently captured. Part Of
the time Rowan had passed as a Span
lard and part Of the time as a Cuban.
He had learned Spanish years before
and was fresh from the post Of military
attache to Chile where, he was con-
stantly speaking 1t. He had been re-
called from Chile when 1t seemed likely
that war with Spain might occur and
was detaild to the bureau of military
in the war department at
Washington, where his services had
revealed such sagacity that for this
reason as we'll as because Of his Span
ban mission. Also he was an expert
photographer, and this accomplishment
further enabled him to obtain informa-
ton valuable to the American forces
on his journey through Cuba
After visiting Garcia he made his
way with a trusty aide furnished to
him by Gen. Garcia to the north coast
Of Cuba, whence they sailed in an open
boat to New Providence. There they
got to a small schooner bound for Key |
West. When news Of Rowan's safe ar
rival home was published there was
great enthusiasm and admiration for
him all over the country, and George
H. Daniels famed the patriotic flames
by scattering over the land the Mes |
sage to Garcia" written by Elbert S.
Hubbard.
Rowan at the time was a lieutenant
in the regular army. He was appoint
ed as a reward for this service lieuten- |
ant colonel Of volunteers and put In
Of the Sixth United States |
OiuHlccI iuldllliy, Gil vi Oi6oiiiEotioh Va i
immunes recruited in Texas and Ken
lucky. Since the war he has risen in
the regular army to be major. Maj.
Rowan is southerner. a son Of Col.
J. M. Rowan Of the Confederate army.
He was born in Virginia in 1860, but
his family having removed to West
he was appointed from that
state to the military academy at West
Point IN 1877. He was graduated in
1881, when he was commissioned a
second lieutenant in the Fifteenth in
fantry. He was first lieutenant in the
Ninth infantry in 1890 and was trans
ferred to the Nineteenth infantry the
next year. He served in the west on
the frontier for some time and also Wis
tied Cuba and Central America before
his appointment to Chile. During the
Spanish war he served in Cuba and
Porto Rico. In later years he has
served more than once in the Philip
pines.