A Message to Garcia: The Original 1899 Edition

Elbert Hubbard penned his classic essay, A Message to Garcia in one hour after a dinnertime discussion with his family. The family's conclusion? The true hero of the Spanish-American war was Captain Rowan, a messenger who braved death by carrying a note behind the lines to Garcia, the leader of the insurgents who was hiding somewhere in Cuba. But where? No matter, Rowan found him and delivered his message! Hubbard saw that Rowan's initiative contained lessons for everyone, not just those in the military. Hubbard calls upon readers to be like Rowan, worthy of carrying their own 'message to Garcia.'

A Message to Garcia was distributed around the globe by the millions in the 1900s. The fact that it still has currency today is testimony not only to Rowan, but to Hubbard, who saw an opportunity to call attention to an important life principle, and seized it.