Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1922-09-28
EELATED RECOGNITION OF HIS
BRAVERY IN CARRYING The
MESSAGE TO GARCIA
EXPLOIT AS HE RELATED 1T
Perilous Journey to Headquarters Of
the lnsurgent chieftan in Eastern
Cuba at Beginning Of the Spanish
American War;
BY JAMES ?. HoRNApAY

DngulShed Service medal the other day
from Uncle Sam. 1t seems rather
strange that the government should
let "a years pass without any formal
recognition of the unusual services of
this officer, Maj Andrew S. Rowan,
retired, who now lives in San Fran
cisco. John w. Weeks, secretary of
war, is responsible for the medal GO
ing TO Major Rowan.
On record in the War department is
the story of what Rowan did as he re-
lated it. "OD April 8, 1898, was on
duty in the office Of military Informal
tiOn, adjutant generals office, War de-
partment, Washington, ID. c." says
Rowan. Maj. Arthur L. Wagner, adj
Jutant general, was in charge. At
noon of that day Major Wagner in
formed me that at a conference be-
tween President Mckinley and Secre-
tary of War Alger it had been decided
to send an officer 10 eastern Cuba, in
case of war, TO ascertain the military
conditions existing in that region
which was likely 10 become the thea
ter of war, and that had been select
ed for the job
Il reached Kingston, jamaica Brit
ish West Indies. on the steamship Adj
rondack. ON April % ! received the
cipher, John Garcia as soon eas pos
sible AT 10 a. m, dressed as an Eng
lish hunter, left Kingston, crossed
the island and reached Saint AIMS
Bay about l a. IN. Here l boarded
small sailboat and by daylight had
passed beyond the Deutral waters of
Jamaica. Nightfall of April % our
small craft, manned by three Cuban
sailors, one orderly and myself. APP
preached the territorial waters of
Cuba, habitualy guarded al that pc
Rod by the enemy patrol We kept
we'll off until dark, and then made the
best of our way TO the nearest point
of the shore.
How He Reached Garcia.
'The next morning / proceeded
through the forest afoot until mounts
could be procured. AT one camp |
found a number of deserters from the
Spanish garrison at Manzanillo, and
from them got some statements OF
doubtful value concerning conditions
in Manzanillo After noon, May /,
having crossed the Sierra Maestro
range, | reached Bayamo, the insur-
gent headquarters where l was iden-
tilted through my escort as delegado
Americana, commissioned by the Amer I
lean War department as man of con-
fdence-a term which suffers IN trans
lation, but which in this instance
served only 10 solder our mutual pur-
pose Of acting promptly in an emer-
gency.
Il was the first 10 impart the news
that the United States had declared
war against Spain.
II followed this by delivering my
message orally TO General Garcia, say
ing that l was there solely on mill
tary mission TO learn as much as pos
sible Of the military situation In east
ern Cuba, how many troops the span
fsh had, how they were armed and fed,
their morale, the topography of the
country, roads and sanitation. After a
nve-hour conference General Garcia
announced that he had decided TO send
me back 10 the United States from
the north Cuban coast, accompanied
by three of his ablest and most trust
ed officers. They. the general said,
could put at the disposal of the Amer
lean War department as much in
formation as he himself possessed.
Return Trip Was Perilous.
"rhe promptness with which / ac-
cepted the generals challenge TO start
Al once seemed TO lmpart an air OF
confidence" continues Rowan. AT
p. m. accompanied by General Col
lao, Colonel Hernandez and Doctor
Vieta, an expert in tropical diseases,
left the Cuban headquarters" I
The trip, he says, roughly followed
astride the seventy-seventh meridian.
On the west side Of Manati inlet. in
swamp. the guides drew out small
ships boat, too small for all of them.
and the party had 10 be reduced to :
six, who must sit upright for several !.
days and nights. They made their !.
way out of the harbor that night un !,
DER the guns of the Spanish fortress
and into the limits of the Spanish pa i
troll. BY daylight they were out Of L
sight of the island on their way to
Nassau. where, with the help of the
American consul. they were able 10 ,
board schooner for Key West.
The Distinguished Service Medal
citation follows
For extraordinary heroism in con.
neetlOn with the operations in Cuba,
IN May, 1898. At the outbreak Of the
Spanish-Ameriean campaign Lieuten-
ant Rowan. under disguise. entered +,
he enemy's lines in Oriente. crossed :
he island of Cuba and not only sue
,eeded In delivering a message TO Gen. /
.ral Garcia, but secured secret in
ormation relative TO existing military
conditions in that region of such great
Talue that 1t had an important bearing
II the struggle and the complete sue.
ess Of the United States army" I