A Message To Garcia Summary

A Message to Garcia

Elbert Hubbard

When war strikes, who do you want leading you, who would you trust to carry out the message? A Message to Garcia, though it is only a short essay, encompasses values that have been pounded into Marines since day one of recruit training. This essay is the story of how Rowan, a young Lieutenant, carries a message to Garcia when the Spanish-American war broke out.

“Garcia was somewhere in the mountain vastness of Cuba- no one knew where. No mail or telegraph message could reach him. The president must secure his cooperation, and quickly.” Communication had to be made with the leader of the Cuban insurgents, Garcia. It was vital that President McKinley be able to contact him, so he sent Lt. Andrew Summers Rowan to find him. Lt. Rowan strapped the letter to his chest, and without asking questions or any hesitation, went on his way to trench through the jungles. Four days later he found his way to the Cuban coast and immediately continued his ongoing search for Garcia. Three weeks from when he entered the vastness, Lt. Rowan emerged from the depths of the Cuban jungle,

having delivered the message to Garcia.

In my opinion, A Message to Garcia is an essential read for Marines of all levels.

Despite it being an extremely brief read, there are many lessons to be learned through Lt. Rowan’s actions. For starters, when President McKinley tasked Rowan out to find Garcia, Rowan did not hesitate, ask any questions, or object to the task. This is the instant willing obedience to orders-the discipline that is drilled into us so greatly at recruit training, however as we spend more time in the Marine Corps, we tend to lose the urgency and dedication to orders. But reading A Message to Garcia brings us back to the basics. Lt. Rowan made zero excuses and proved himself as a reliable officer who could be depended upon to carry out a task, and to execute it with more hastiness and competency than his fellow officers. We should all strive to be a leader like Lt. Andrew Summers

Rowan.

After reading this essay, I couldn't help but look within myself to see where my faults as a leader lie. Elbert Hubbard’s literary piece urges all people to analyze themselves and see where they’re lacking, but at the same time, encourages people that they too, can be a leader like Lt. Rowan. It reminded me that those who complete tasks with mediocrity or on an average level are often not recognized for their efforts, but it is when someone goes above and beyond that their hard work is appreciated. This essay emphasized one of my favorite leadership principles: “Know yourself and seek self improvement”, as well as “know your Marines and look out for their welfare.” As a leader, if we know where we are lacking and we strive to better ourselves, we will one day make an influence on other Marines, and show them that self improvement is the key to being successful.Understanding how we can be better Marines, and taking action on this, will give young Marines a desire to do more, be more, and learn more. At the same time, It is vital that a leader understands what tasks their subordinates are proficient and deficient in, so they know who to utilize when things need to be done, but also who to teach and mentor when there is downtime. Knowing your strengths and weaknesses as a Marine leader, as well as knowing your Marines’ strengths and weaknesses is key to mission accomplishment. A Message to Garcia did a remarkable job of exemplifying a few of the things the Marine Corps stands for most, and it also allowed me to look within myself and consider what areas of my life I need to re-evaluate.