Medal from Garcia

Metal from garcia

Motionless in a wheelchair, swathed in blankets, his tired old face shaded by a broad fedora. Major Andrew Summers Rowan, 81, last week listened to a seven-gun salute in his honor on the lawn of Letterman General Hospital at San Francisco's Presidio (U. S. Army post). He also listened to a flowery speech by a gentleman in smoked glasses, Consul Jose Zarza of the Cuban Republic. The speech said that Major Rowan had performed a feat that was "an everlasting lesson" which "covered your army with glory," a deed for all to "love, admire and emulate." At the end of it, Consul Zarza pinned a blue-ribboned gold medal upon Major Rowan. It was the Order of Carlos Manuel de Cespedes, Cuba's highest honor.* The old soldier, suffering from age's infirmities and a rib broken last April, received his reward in silence.

Thus, 40 years after the event, did Cuba honor the hero who "carried the message to Garcia." To do so, he landed on the Cuban coast in a fishing smack (which was hailed and questioned by a Spanish man-o'-war), traveled on foot across jungled Oriente Province for seven days, until he found General Calixto Garcia, leader of Cuban insurgents, and delivered his oral message (not a letter, Elbert Hubbard to the contrary). The "message" asked General Garcia about the strength of his troops, which were to collaborate with the U. S. Army in fighting Spain. President McKinley's comment, when he and his Cabinet received Hero Rowan, was: "Colonel, you have performed a very brave deed.''

* Cuba's great Cespedes (1819--74) promulgated the island's first Declaration of Independence in 1868, proclaimed an underground Republic which Spain could not stamp out for ten years. His son & namesake was Provisional President for 25 days after the exit of Gerardo Machado in 1933.

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