A Message to Garcia is a widely distributed essay written by Elbert Hubbard in 1899.
Hubbard was inspired by a daring escapade performed by an American soldier, 1st Lt. Andrew S. Rowan, just prior to the Spanish–American War. According to Hubbard, Rowan carried a message from President William McKinley to "Gen. Calixto García, a leader of the Cuban insurgents somewhere in the mountain fastness ...