Graham guardian., 1922-10-24

born when the Maine was blown up In Havana
harbor They say putting 1t across" or something
of the kind and haven't the least idea what their
fathers meant in saying carrying the message to
Garcia" Well the job brought Rowan deathless
fame And it's a story well worth reteling-so
here It is for the benefit of the young World War
veterans:
To begin at the beginning, in 1895 there was
Cuban revolt against the Spanish policy of ire
concentration" which had resulted under General
Weyler In the suffering and death of thousands.
American sympathy was strong. February 10,
1898, the AncaIican warship Maine was blown up
In Havana harbor with the loss of 286 officers and
men. Cncle Sam issued an ultlmatum to Spain:
Get out of Cuba. Spain didn't CO. Uncle Sam
declared war April 20 and by August Is had
whipped Spain to a standstlll rs.
1t Is the fashion nowadays to speak of the
Spanlsh-American war as a successful skrmish, or
words TO that effect. 1t short and sweet
to be sure, but 1t was important war with far
reaching results.
For one thing 1t reunited the North and South
of the United States. The fighting men of both
sections fought under the Stars and Stripes.
II drove the Spanlard from his last foothold on
the Western Hemisphere.
1t opened the eyes of the world to the quality
of the American fighting man. Lieutenant Lee,
British military observer (nOw Lord Lee Of Fare
ham), saw the assault of San Juan Hill. 1T is
magnificent" he gasped but it is not war" The
Spanirds put 1t another way when they said, THE
Yankee pigs should have turned and run. we fired
such volleys. But they came on and tried to
catch us with their hands"
1t put the American navy on the Seven Seas.
Europe expected the Spaniards to whip us on the
sea. 1t gasped over the clean-cut victories OF
Manila and Santiago.
1t made us world power In spite Of ourselves
through the acquisition of the Philippines and
Porto Rico and relationship with Cuba.
or course the blowing up OF the Maine meant
war and naturally Uncle Sam wanted to know
the military conditions in Cuba Now the Cuban
rcyolutionists were under command of q certain
General Garcia buried somewhere In the inacces
slble Interior. Incidentally this rebel leader was
Callxto Inlguez Garcia t1S388S), Cuban patriot
who had rebelied against Spain in 1880 and had
been captured and Imprisoned In Spain for fifteen
years. In 1895 he escaped and got back into Cuba
SO 1t was decided to send message to Garcia"
Here are some of the questions to which answers
were wanted
How many Spanish troops were now 1898 In
Cuba How were they distrlbuted2 How were
they waging war? How were they armed and
equppedf How clothed2 How fedf The condi
ton and quality of the Spanish forcesP The char
acter of their officers, especially the commanding
officers; what Of the Spanish morale7 What were
the typographical conditions local and general?
The character and conditions of the roads then
and at all seasons7
Similar information regarding the Cubans and
the Cuban forces was also wanted. How were the
Cubans armed. equipped and fed2 What was need
ed In the way OF placing the forces In q condition
10 harass the enemy while the American army
was moblllzngr
"On April 8. 1s9s," says Colonel Rowan. telling
the story after twenty-four years. II was on duty