Register of the Andrew Summers Rowan papers
Finding aid prepared by Paige Davenport
Hoover Institution Library and Archives
© 2009, 2016
434 Galvez Mall
Stanford University
Stanford, CA 94305-6003
hoover-library-archives@stanford.edu
Title: Andrew Summers Rowan papers
Date (bulk): 1898-1930
Collection Number: 45008
Contributing Institution: Hoover Institution Library and Archives
Language of Material: In English, Spanish, and Italian
Physical Description:
6 manuscript boxes, 4 oversize boxes, 2 oversize folders
(8.5 Linear Feet)
Abstract: Writings, correspondence, military orders, maps, photographs, clippings, and reports relating to the exploit of Andrew Summers
Rowan in carrying the "message to Garcia" during the Spanish-American War, and to other American military activities in Cuba
and in the Philippines during the Philippine-American War.
Creator:
Rowan, Andrew Summers
Physical Location: Hoover Institution Library & Archives
Access
The collection is open for research; materials must be requested in advance via our reservation system. If there are audiovisual
or digital media material in the collection, they must be reformatted before providing access.
Use
For copyright status, please contact the Hoover Institution Library & Archives.
Acquisition Information
Acquired by the Hoover Institution Library & Archives in 1945.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Andrew Summers Rowan papers, [Box no., Folder no. or title], Hoover Institution Library & Archives.
Biographical Note
Andrew Summers Rowan was born April 23, 1857 in Gap Mills, Virginia. He graduated from West Point in 1881 and was commissioned
into the U.S. Army as second lieutenant. With his regiment he served on various special projects, including inspecting the
Mississippi River flood of 1897. From 1891 to 1892, Rowan was in charge of barometric hypsometry of the Intercontinental Railway
Survey in Central America, which brought him to Guatemala and Mexico. In 1896, Rowan, along with coauthor Marathon Montrose
Ramsey, published the book
The Island of Cuba: A Descriptive and Historical Account of the "Great Antilla."
Prior to the outbreak of the Spanish-American War, President William McKinley asked Colonel Arthur L. Wagner if he knew of
someone who could get a message to General Calixto García, a leader among the Cuban rebels, whose whereabouts were then unknown.
Anticipating that war with Spain would soon be declared, President McKinley wanted to reach out to the Cuban insurgents in
hopes of gaining their allegiance. Col. Wagner recommended Rowan for the task, and he was sent to Jamaica to await further
instruction.
On April 21, 1898, the same day the US officially declared war on Spain, Rowan received a ciphered cablegram telling him to
join García. After making the treacherous journey to Cuba, Rowan successfully located García at his camp in the Oriente Mountains,
where he gained the general's favor and was able to secure valuable information about the Spanish forces in Cuba. Additionally,
General García sent five of his men back with Rowan to Washington, D.C., in order to give the US additional intelligence information.
Rowan was highly regarded for the role he played in the war by meeting with General García, known as "the message to García."
In 1899, Elbert Hubbard published
A Message to Garcia, a short essay praising Rowan's mission in Cuba and lamenting on the difficulty in finding employees who complete assignments
efficiently, take initiative when challenges arise, and follow instructions without question. The essay became extremely popular,
especially among schoolteachers, industry employers, and the military. It was translated into several languages and was the
inspiration for two motion pictures of the same title, the first produced in 1916 and the second in 1936. Additionally, the
phrase "to take a message to García" became a popular American slang term for taking initiative. Rowan wrote his own account
of his mission to Cuba,
How I Carried the Message to García, published in 1922.
Following his mission to find General García, Rowan briefly returned to Cuba before completing two tours of service in the
Philippines during the Philippine Insurrection, also known as the Philippine-American War. He served in the region of Cebu
from 1899 to 1900 and in Bohol from 1900 to 1902. He was awarded the Silver Star Citation for his gallantry during the attack
on Sudlon Mountain in Cebu and received the Distinguished Service Cross for his service in Cuba. Rowan retired from the military
in 1909 and died on January 10, 1943, in San Francisco.
Scope and Content of Collection
The Andrew Summers Rowan papers contain writings, correspondence, military orders, maps, photographs, clippings, and reports
relating to his exploit in carrying the "message to Garcia" during the Spanish-American War, and to other American military
activities in Cuba and in the Philippines during the Philippine-American War. The collection contains material dating from
1730 to 1940, with the majority dating from 1898 to 1930.
A majority of the material found in the collection pertains to Rowan's mission to meet with General Calixto García in April
of 1898 and the recognition he received from it. The Cuba section of the
Military File contains items from Rowan's exploit to Cuba deemed as being particularly significant by him that he arranged in numerical
order. Among these materials are Rowan's official report of the mission written in 1922, a handwritten letter General García
wrote to the U.S. Secretary of War that Rowan delivered upon his return from Cuba (Box/Folder 3:12), and ciphered cablegrams
Rowan received while in Jamaica awaiting orders to join General García in Cuba (Box/Folder 3:11). Copies of deciphered cablegrams
(Box/Folder 2:2) and other correspondence Rowan received during this mission can be found in the
Correspondence series. Additionally, maps of Cuba that Rowan used during his mission can be found in the
Oversize Material series.
Clippings and ephemera relating to Rowan's exploit in Cuba are included in multiple scrapbooks located in the
Scrapbooks series. These scrapbooks also contain clippings regarding anniversaries of Rowan's mission to Cuba and Elbert Hubbard's essay
A Message to García. For a printed copy of Hubbard's essay, see the
Printed Matter series. Drafts of Rowan's own account of his experience in Cuba,
How I Carried the Message to García, are located in
Writings.
Rowan's military service in Bohol and Cebu during the Philippine-American War is documented in the
Writings,
Military File,
Photographs, and
Scrapbooks series. The
Oversize Material series also contains maps, flags, and a handkerchief captured by Rowan while in the Philippines.
Additionally, the collection includes material relating to Rowan's early military career, including hypsometric work in Guatemala,
which can be found in the
Journals and
Photographs series.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Officers
Philippines -- History -- Philippine American War, 1899-1902
Spanish-American War, 1898
Cuba -- History -- Revolution, 1895-1898
United States. Army
Biographical File
1730-1940, undated
Scope and Contents note
Contains correspondence, articles, ephemera, and other material related to Rowan's life, especially to his mission to Cuba
to meet with General Calixto García. Arranged alphabetically by form or item title. For additional biographical material,
see: Scrapbooks.
box 1, folder 1-2
Genealogical research material
1730-1926
Scope and Contents note
Contains correspondence and other material related to Rowan's research on his family history. Also included are requests from
encyclopedias for biographical information.
box 1, folder 3-4
Magazine articles
1898-1940
Scope and Contents note
Contains various magazines featuring articles about Rowan and his time in Cuba.
box 1, folder 5
Major Summers Rowan, A West Virginian: The Man Who Carried the Message to García
1925 December 21
box 1, folder 6
Military epaulette
undated
box 1, folder 7
Miscellaneous
1885-1929
Scope and Contents note
Contains military rosters, event programs, and pamphlets from various organizations Rowan belonged to. Many of the pamphlets
feature short articles about Rowan and his time in Cuba.
Journals
1891-1898, undated
Scope and Contents note
Arranged chronologically.
box 1, folder 8
Undated
Scope and Contents note
Contains three handwritten journals containing Rowan's notes about Guatemala. Pages are numbered consecutively, beginning
with page 121. Volume 1, containing pages 1-120, is not included in the collection.
box 1, folder 9
"Volcanic Cones and Craters of Guatemala,"
1891-1892
Scope and Contents note
Contains notes made by Rowan while conducting hypsometric work for the Central American Party of the Intercontinental Railway
Survey.
box 2, folder 1
"From Gibara, Cuba,"
1898 September 5
Correspondence
1857-1936
Scope and Contents note
Includes mainly messages of admiration for Rowan's work in delivering the message to García and invitations to speak at events.
box 2, folder 2
General
1857-1936
Scope and Contents note
Includes correspondence from the son of Elbert Hubbard and copies of the deciphered messages that were sent to Rowan during
his mission to Cuba. Also included are letters written in 1898 between different Cuban officials, including a letter written
by General García to General Lope Recio Loynaz.
box 2, folder 3
Shott, Hugh Ike
1931 December
Scope and Contents note
Includes a copy of the
Congressional Record from December 21 in which Senator Shott spoke about Rowan.
box 2, folder 4
"Talks and Invitations to Talk,"
1916-1929
Writings
1916-1922, undated
Scope and Contents note
Contains written and typescript drafts of manuscripts written by Rowan. Also included are various versions of Rowan's personal
account of his mission to Cuba,
How I Carried the Message to García, as well as the final print version. Arranged chronologically, then alphabetically by title.
box 2, folder 5-7
"The Conquest of Cebu,"
undated
Scope and Contents note
Contains drafts, notes, and correspondence. Also includes a captured proclamation from Filipino General Arcadio Maxilom y
Molero.
box 2, folder 8
"How to Win the War and Keep the Peace: An Easterner's Solution of the Strategic Impasse in the West," draft
undated
box 2, folder 9-11
"Our Waterways: How to Use Them, How to Defend Them," manuscript
undated
box 3, folder 1
"Pacifism and Its Cure - Universal Training,"
undated
box 3, folder 2
"A Strategical Study of the Mexican Terrain, 1911,"
undated
box 3, folder 3
"An Unknown Corner of Our Moro Land,"
undated
box 3, folder 4
"A Pragmatic History of Mexico,"
1916-1922, undated
Scope and Contents note
Contains sketches of maps, notes, and research materials for a project that was never completed.
How I Carried the Message to García
circa 1922
undated
Scope and Contents note
Contains several different versions of Rowan's account of his journey to Cuba to meet General Calixto García. Different drafts
of his account contain slightly different titles and vary in length.
box 3, folder 6
"How I Carried President McKinley's Message to General García: The Results and Consequences," typescript
undated
box 3, folder 8
"Scenario,"
circa 1922
Scope and Contents note
Draft of a script based on
How I Carried the Message to García. Maps and photographs referenced on the first page of the file are not included.
Military File
1898-1927, undated
Scope and Contents note
Contains correspondence, official reports, notes, captured documents, maps, and other material used and received by Rowan
during his military service in Cuba during the Spanish-American War and in the Philippines during the Philippine-American
War. For additional material related to Rowan's military career, see: Scrapbooks and Oversize Material.
Cuba
1898-1927
Scope and Contents note
Contains correspondence, reports, sketches, articles, and other materials related to Rowan's mission to Cuba, which were organized
and numbered by him. Most of the files also include short descriptions of the material written by Rowan. Arranged according
to the original order of files, then alphabetically by form.
box 3, folder 9
1. Letter and special passport
1898 March 28
box 3, folder 10
2. Letters from War Department
1898 March - April
box 3, folder 11
3. Ciphered cablegrams
1898 April - May
box 3, folder 12
4. Original letter from García
1898 May 1
Scope and Contents note
Contains the original handwritten letter to the U.S. Secretary of War, as well as typescript copies.
box 3, folder 13
5. Maps and unfinished sketch of Cuba
1898
box 3, folder 14
6. Official report of Rowan's mission to General Calixto García
1922
box 3, folder 15
7. Copies of Cuban insurgent newspapers
1898 April
Scope and Contents note
Contains an issue of
La Independencia and an issue of
El Cubano Libre.
box 3, folder 16
8. Report of General Nelson A. Miles
1898
Scope and Contents note
Refers to Rowan's services in Cuba and Puerto Rico in 1898.
box 3, folder 17
9. "25 Years After,"
New York Times
1923 January 14
box 3, folder 18
10. "Color Palette of the Caribbean,"
1927 January
box 3, folder 19
11. "Lieutenant-Colonel Rowan's Exploit,"
1898 July 2
box 3, folder 20
Military maps of Cuba
1898
box 3, folder 21
Sketches of mountains
1898
Philippines
1898-1901, undated
Scope and Contents note
Arranged chronologically.
box 3, folder 22
Cebu
1898, 1901, undated
Scope and Contents note
See also: "The Conquest of Cebu" in Writings.
box 3, folder 23
"Daily notes of military service,"
1899 July - October
box 3, folder 24
Bohol
1901, undated
Scope and Contents note
Includes memoranda and correspondence relating to a controversy surrounding Rowan and his possible involvement with the burning
of a village in Bohol.
Photographs
1881-1900, undated
box 3, folder 25
"Friends of Col. Andrew Summers Rowan,"
1881-1891, undated
box 4, folder 1
Guatemala
circa 1891
Scope and Contents note
Contains images of coffee plantations and various unidentified persons and landscapes.
box 4, folder 2
Mississippi River flood
1897
Scope and Contents note
Photographs collected by Rowan during an inspection of the flood he conducted with the U.S. Army.
box 4, folder 3
Philippine Islands
circa 1900
Scope and Contents note
Includes images of Rowan with the 19th Infantry.
Scrapbooks
1898-1934
Scope and Contents note
Contains 15 scrapbooks mainly comprised of clippings relating to Rowan's mission to Cuba, his military service in the Philippines,
and Elbert Hubbard's
A Message to Garcia. Some correspondence and ephemera are also included in select scrapbooks.
The majority of the scrapbooks are untitled with overlapping date ranges and topics. Some scrapbooks were numbered by Rowan
and contain short descriptions on the cover of what they contain; however, there are gaps in the sequence. Scrapbooks are
arranged according to Rowan's numerical assignments and titles, then chronologically.
box 5, folder 1
#6
1898-1901
Scope and Contents note
Includes clippings relating to Rowan's service in the region of Bohol and the investigation he underwent for the burning of
a local village.
box 5, folder 2-3
#7
1899-1900
Scope and Contents note
Includes clippings relating to Rowan's service in Cebu and the Sudlon mountains.
box 5, folder 7
"All's Well that Ends Well"
1898-1922
Scope and Contents note
Includes a letter written by Rowan to Colonel Arthur L. Wagner dated May 16, 1898, which gives a full account of Rowan's mission
to Cuba.
box 6, folder 1
"Bestowal of D. S. C."
1922, 1926
Scope and Contents note
Contains clippings relating to the Distinguished Service Cross Rowan received on August 28, 1922.
Oversize Material
1888-1904, undated
box 6, folder 11
Captured flags and handkerchief (access images)
circa 1900
Scope and Contents note
Seven flags and a handkerchief with embroidered initials "E. A." that were captured during Rowan's tours in the Philippines.
Includes two National Flags of the Philippines, also known as the Three Stars and a Sun, with handpainted designs. This flag
was first adopted in 1898 and designed by Emilio Aguinaldo, first president of the Philippines. Originals housed in an oversize
folder in the map case.
box 6, folder 11
Military maps of Cuba printed on cloth (access images)
1989
Access
Originals housed in an oversize folder in the map case.
drawer K08
Miscellaneous maps
1888-1904, undated
Scope and Contents note
Contains various maps captured, drawn, or used by Rowan during his military service in Cuba and the Philippines. Includes
several copies of a sketch map showing the insurgent positions in the Bujisan (Bocaue) Mountains in Cebu, Philippines created
from a sketch Rowan made in 1899.
Printed Matter
1891-1938, undated
box 6, folder 2-4
Clippings
1913-1938, undated
box 6, folder 5
General Descriptive Data booklets on Centeral America
1917, 1919
Scope and Contents note
Includes booklets on Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica, El Salvador, and Nicaragua. Also includes a photograph of an unidentified
location.
box 6, folder 6
La Guerra Ispano-Americana del 1898
undated
box 6, folder 7
Hubbard, Elbert,
A Message to García
1926
Scope and Contents note
Includes an inscription from Rowan to General Carlos Hernández. This published version also includes excerpts from press articles
about Rowan's trip to deliver the message to García.
box 6, folder 8
Informe de la Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores a la Asamblea Legislativa acerca de la captura y muerte del General J. Martín
Barrundia
1891
box 6, folder 9
Poillon, Arthur,
Report on the Celebes Islands (Netherlands Indies)
1906
box 6, folder 10
Report of Major R. K. Evans, Assistant Adjutant-General, United States Army, Chief Umpire Maneuver Division
1904
